


A Second Chance

by charlottedrake



Category: PLL - Fandom, Pretty Little Liars
Genre: F/F, F/M, Sparia ?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-12
Updated: 2017-08-24
Packaged: 2018-12-01 03:28:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 36,152
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11477676
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/charlottedrake/pseuds/charlottedrake
Summary: Alex Drake was revealed to be the infamous A.D. and has been institutionalized at Welby State Psychiatric Hospital. Despite now knowing the identity of A.D. Spencer still isn't convinced that her twin sister has told her the full story.After having suspicions about her older sister's, Melissa's, possible involvement in the game, she seeks answers from Alex. The problem is, Alex refuses to talk to her. Surprise Surprise, her twin sister still finds pleasure from Spencer's suffering.In desperate need for answers, Spencer sends Aria to Alex, in hopes that she will be able to get some answers out of her twin sister, since the younger twin is clearly fond of Aria.Aria is hesitant at first, but agrees. There, the story begins. Answers come to the light and the truth about Melissa Hastings involvement is revealed. Aria learns about the real reason as to why A.D. always favored her, and Spencer learns about her older sister's relationship with the infamous Big A, Charlotte.___- Not yet edited -





	1. First Visit

She stares at the bright walls that had seized her from escaping. She could feel as the drugs that she had been injected, began to kick in. 

 

Guess she really was a total screw up, a complete waste of air. She could never do anything right. She couldn’t get Melissa to love her the way she loves Spencer, she couldn’t play the game as good as Charlotte did, and worst of all, she couldn’t even be Spencer without screwing things up.

 

Even Mary Drake, her mother, clearly didn’t love her as much as she loves Spencer. She had sent Spencer off with a family that would provide her with unconditional love, and she had sold  _ her _ to some family in Britain who couldn’t give two shits about her. The only reason that woman had even agreed to help her hold her twin sister captive, was because she wanted to keep Spencer safe. Mary Drake knew that Alex was planning to kill her twin sister, so instead she had suggested to keep Spencer hostage while she went on and pretended to be her.

 

Same with Melissa Hastings, the older brunette didn’t help her because she wanted to torture the younger sister that she had grown up with, Melissa Hastings had helped her because she wanted to keep Spencer safe from her evil doppelganger.

 

Sure, the eldest Hastings did seem to have shared a romance with Charlotte, but Melissa had always stated that she didn’t believe that her younger sister had anything to do with Charlotte’s murder.

 

Alex had to admit, she had hoped at the time that Melissa would’ve been the sister that she could rely on after Charlotte’s passing, but it was stupid of her to even think that would happen. For Melissa Hastings, the only other sister that she had was Spencer, not her. So she had no choice but to blackmail her into helping her torture the five girls who she suspected had killed her blonde sister. 

 

The only faithful ally that she had was Wren Kingston, but Alex was no idiot. She knew that the only reason that Wren was probably interested in her in the first place, was because she shared the same face as Spencer, who Melissa claimed that he was obsessed with. He apparently had even tried to get back together with her before he moved back to London, but her sister had rejected him because she was in love with some Toby guy.  

 

Maybe that’s what lead her to grow to resent her twin sister. Maybe that’s what lead her to want to hurt her. Maybe that’s what lead her to want to be Spencer.

 

It felt great honestly. To feel loved. Even if they didn’t love her for being Alex, she still really enjoyed the tender feelings that she received from all of Spencer’s friends. Especially when that love and affection came from a certain short-haired liar. 

 

It hadn’t take Alex long to realize how fond she was growing towards Aria Montgomery. It didn’t take her long to realize that there was something special about the short woman, she had noticed it during their first interaction. Only that Aria Montgomery, had never realized that she was meeting up with “Spencer”.

 

The first time that Alex had officially met Aria, was after she had shot Spencer. The fact that Spencer had been so close to dying, lead to Aria’s PTSD relapse. Her anxieties returning lead to her to start taking prescribed medicine from the doctors, medicine that would cause her to grow very drowsy and unaware of what was real or not. 

 

So that night, she had snuck into Aria’s room, thankfully Ezra had been with Nicole during that time, and paid her a visit as “Dream Spencer”.

 

**_______________**

 

Alex wasn’t sure why she was paying the tiny woman a visit, but she had a feeling that she wasn’t okay. And for some reason, she felt the urge to check in on the shorter woman. 

 

When she crept into the room where Aria had been staying in, she heard soft whimpers coming from the bed.

 

Aria may have been very drowsy, but she felt someone’s presence behind her, which caused her to jump up in fear.

 

When Alex came face to face with the short-haired brunette, she felt her heart stop. The girl looked completely vulnerable. 

 

“Spencer..?” Aria had breathed out in relief. Alex felt herself gulp as she watched as the tears streamed down Aria’s face. She couldn’t help but climb on the bed to embrace the trembling woman.

 

“I must be dreaming,” Aria whispered as she stared at who she thought was Spencer, “Y-You were shot Spencer, you’re supposed to be in the hospital right now-”

 

“Why are you crying?” Alex asked in her ‘Spencer’ Voice. “Are you crying over me?”

 

Aria let out a shaky sigh, “I feel like my whole life is falling apart Spence.” Aria confessed as she tightly held onto Alex, which caused her heart to begin to beat at an uncontrollable rate. 

 

_ Pull yourself together Alex. _

 

“First Ezra is leaving me for Nicole and now you may be leaving me too.” Aria finished as she continued to sob. “I can’t take it anymore Spencer.”

 

“Hey,” Alex cupped the girl’s small face in her hands. She had no idea why she was being so affectionate towards her. “Who said that I was leaving you?”

 

“T-The d-doctors said that the chances of you surviving that surgery w-were slim.” Aria stuttered. “You can’t leave me Spencer, we’re Team Sparia, remember?”

 

Sparia? It took Alex a moment before she realized that ‘Sparia’ was a combination of Spencer and Aria’s name together. She had to hold herself from snorting, not at Aria, but at how dopey the name was. Spencer must’ve been the one to come up with it.

 

“Of course we are.” Alex told her as she caressed her hair tenderly. Truth be told, she was rather enjoying being in this situation with Aria. She had never realized how beautiful she was, especially right now as she was glowing in the moonlight, that came in through the window. 

 

This was the first time that she had ever looked into Aria’s deep, brown eyes. The more Aria stared at her, the more she was captivated by them. 

 

Alex felt herself freeze as Aria leaned in and planted a kiss on her cheek, and then continued to wrap her arms around her. It’s as if Alex forgotten how to breath or move at that moment, because all she kept thinking about was how pleasant it felt when Aria’s lips came in contact with her cheek.

 

She felt loved, something that she hasn’t felt since she last saw Charlotte six years ago. She hadn’t realized how much she longed for that feeling. The feeling that somebody loved her.

 

“Please don’t leave me.” Aria said as she continued to sob into Alex’s shoulder. “I love you.” 

 

That was enough for Alex to completely fall for her. Only that at the time she hadn’t realized that she had since she was currently obsessing over Toby. But the fact that Aria had said that she loved her, without mentioning her twin sister’s name at the end, really meant something to her.

 

She was feeling loved.

 

**_______________**

 

“What are you doing here?” Alex asks harshly, as Spencer walked in her room. 

 

“I’m here to visit you.” Spencer quietly responds as she stares at her sister. This was still hard to adjust to. 

 

She has a sister. 

 

Another sister.

 

A twin sister.

 

“Well, I’d rather die than to see you.” Alex mutters in a venomous tone. 

 

Spencer sighs, “I’m really trying here Al-” Spencer can bring herself to say her twin sister’s name yet. 

 

“I didn’t ask you to try.” 

 

“You know, I never understood why Ali was so forgiving towards Charlotte after everything she had put us through.” Spencer watches as her twin sister grows tense at the mention of their late sister’s name. “But now I think I do.”

 

Alex says nothing as she grabs a familiar puppet, a pig puppet. She began to fondle it. 

 

Spencer scowls as she instantly recognizes the eerie looking puppet. “Why do you have that?” she didn’t even think before asking.

 

Alex looks up at her with a blank expression, “You can drop the caring sister act.” the British woman says, ignoring her sister’s question. “I know the only reason you’re here is because I didn’t finish telling you the story.”

 

“That was the reason, at first at least.” Spencer admits as she looks down. “But then the nurses told me that you were refusing to eat, that all you did was sit and hold onto some stuffed animal. For some reason, that hurt me.”

 

“Good.” Alex told her venomously. “I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but nothing brings me more pleasure than to watch you suffer. We’re sisters after all, I think I’ve had my fair share of pain. Now it’s your turn.”

 

It took Spencer everything within her to prevent herself from lashing out at her. She took a deep breath and relaxed herself. “Just tell me what I need to do to get you to talk to me.”

 

There was no point in even trying, because the British girl kept playing with the freakishly creepy puppet, and paid no attention to her desperate twin sister. 

 

Spencer wanted answers. Answers that even her oldest sister, Melissa, was not giving her. She recalls the older brunette not being shocked at all, when their parents told her that Spencer had a twin who had been out to get her. She had seemed rather nervous about that, and had scurried out of the house before Spencer could even ask any questions.

 

Spencer needed to know the truth, and she wanted her twin sister to get better too, for some reason. And she knew that she, alone, wasn’t going to be able to make that happened.

 

After seconds of simply staring at that creepy pig, it finally hit Spencer. She now knew what she needed to know, in order to get Alex to talk.

 

**_______________**

 

“Are you insane?!” Aria exclaims one week later, after returning from her honeymoon. “You want me to go see her?!”

 

“I know it’s a lot to ask-” Spencer begins.

 

“You think?!” Aria interjects, obviously irritated at the taller woman’s suggestion. “You’re asking me to visit the girl who made our lives a living hell for a whole year?”

 

“I don’t know what else to do!” Spencer defends herself. “She refuses to eat, she refuses to take care of herself, and she refuses to answer any of my questions!”

 

“Spencer if she wants to die, then who are we to stop her!?” Aria expresses her evident annoyance through her hand gestures. “As a matter of fact, she can go die for all I care!”

 

“Aria, I can’t just leave her there to die!” The taller woman tries to reason with the short brunette. “At the end of the day, she’s still my sister. Plus, I think I’m about to go insane if I don’t hear the whole story.”

 

Aria let out a sigh as she walked towards Spencer, and places a hand on her friend’s cheek, “You don’t need to know the answer to every single thing Spence.” she tells her softly. “Besides, if she’s not talking to you, what makes you think that she’ll talk to me?”

 

“That’s the thing.” Spencer begins as she removes Aria’s hand from her face and holds it in her hand, “This might freak you out a bit, but, Alex seems to be very fond of you and I thought-”

 

“Wait, what?!”

 

“I mean honestly, are we really surprised that you’re her favorite, when she went a lot easier on you during the whole game.” Spencer points out as she crossed her arms.

 

“Easier? Spencer, she threatened to send Ezra to jail!” Aria reminds her. “How was that easier?”

 

“Well first of all, the fact that she gave you a second choice just proves how much easier she went on you.” Spencer replies, a bit too harshly. “I don’t remember Alex giving, Hanna, Emily, Ali, or I a second choice. Also, need I remind you that you screwed me over for Ezra, another reason for her to really like you.”

 

Aria feels herself grow guilty as she recalls how she betrayed her friends, how she betrayed Spencer for her own selfish reasons. “Is this your way of guilting me into helping you?” Aria asks quietly.

 

“Maybe.”

 

Aria knew she was going to instantly regret this, but she ended up agreeing to help her best friend. “Fine, what do I need to do.”

 

“Just show up.” Spencer tells her. “I want to see how she reacts to seeing you, and if all goes well, then I’ll make you a list of questions to ask her on your second visit-”

 

“There’s going to be more than one visit!?” Aria interrupts her.

 

“Well I highly doubt that she’s going to tell you everything on the first visit.”

 

“I don’t know if I can.”

 

“Did I mention she has that puppet pig of yours. Piglet wasn’t it?” Spencer mentions.

 

“Pigtunia.” Aria corrects her. “I knew I hadn’t lost her at the airport.”

 

“Aw, look at you.” Spencer jokes. “Seems like you’re willing to do this more for a puppet than  for me.”

 

Aria reaches out and grabs Spencer’s hand, “I’m doing this for you Spence.” she tells her. “I don’t know if it’ll get the result that you want, but I’ll give it a try.”

 

Spencer couldn’t help but smile at her tiny friend. “Thank you little big one.”

 

**_______________**

 

It was another day at Welby for Alex, apparently she had been staying in the same room that her sister, Charlotte, had stayed in. She had stood up and stared at the walls. These walls that had once held Charlotte captive, now held her.

 

Alex felt her eyes growing damp as her stomach growled. She can’t remember the last time she has eaten a proper meal. The only meals that she’s consumed consisted of bread and water. Yeah, they did offer her more choices, but she refused to touch anything else. 

 

She clearly didn’t care about how much pain she was in, if it meant that her precious twin would suffer as a result of that, and the fact that she made Wren shoot her is proof of that. Again, her stomach rumbled. 

 

_ Maybe starving myself isn’t the best idea,  _ she says to herself.  _ Maybe I could just pretend that I was, I mean I am a great actress after all. I was able to pull off being Spencer and nobody noticed except for that annoying blind bitch. _

 

Alex clearly was too caught up in her own thoughts, that she hadn’t noticed that she was no longer the only person in her room. 

 

“Ms. Drake, you have a visitor.” a nurse informs her from behind. “Call us if you need anything.”

 

Alex can feel herself roll her eyes, her  _ loving _ sister must be here to visit her again. Who else would visit her honestly?  “What are you doing here?” the British woman calls out, still refusing to face the person who she thought was her sister. “I told you I didn’t want you visiting me.”

 

“Oh.” Alex hears a response from a voice that was definitely not her twin sister’s, but rather a voice that made her grow instantly anxious. She quickly turns around and feels her heart skip a beat, once she finds herself facing the short haired woman. “I haven’t even been here for a minute and I’m already being kicked out.”

 

“Aria..” Alex whispers her name, it sounded as if seeing her brought the taller woman a sense of relief. 

 

The two women just stare at each other, neither one of them knowing how to even begin. Alex really didn’t mind the silence though, the fact that Aria was standing in the same room as her was enough. 

 

She let herself take in the smaller woman’s appearance, she hasn’t seen her in so long, but Alex can still memorize every one of her features. She was still very beautiful. Even her flaws were beautiful in Alex’s eyes. Just looking at her, was able to bring out a small smile from the taller brunette.

 

Aria must’ve sensed that Alex was subtly checking her out, because she cleared her throat after a while, breaking the silence. “Mind if I sit?”

 

This was all too good to be true. Why would Aria visit her? Was she dreaming? Or was it-

 

“Did Spencer ask you to come see me?” Alex asks before she can even process the question through her head. “So I could satisfy her curiosity?”

 

Aria shrugs as she takes a seat on the empty chair that was located a meter or two away from her bed. “So what if she did?” she questions. “I didn’t  _ have  _ to come.”

 

“So why did you?” 

 

Aria looks away, almost as if she was also trying to think of the real reason that she was here. “Maybe I wanted  _ my  _ pig back.”

 

Alex crosses her arms,  _ Spencer really was like one of those annoying kids that would snitch on everyone.  _ “So you came all this way for a pig that you probably had already forgotten existed? I don’t think Pigtunia belongs to you anymore.” 

 

Aria scowls, “She’s  _ mine.”   _

 

“We don’t alway get what’s rightfully meant to be ours, Aria.” Alex tells her as she walks to sit on her bed, facing her. “I mean, I should know right? My whole life I was robbed from the life that was supposed to be mine.”

 

“So you decided to take out your anger of fate’s choices, on us? On Spencer?” Aria scoffs. “How are we to blame for that?”

 

“I only lashed out when I thought that you girls were responsible for Charlotte’s death.” Alex admits. “Spencer’s another story.”

 

“That doesn’t excuse the fact that you tried to kill one of my best friends.” 

 

“Spencer got everything. I got nothing.” Alex says in a low voice. “She had everyone to love her, while I only had Charlotte. And I lost her too, because of her. Because of all of you.”

 

“I thought we were clear on the fact that we had nothing to do with her murder.” Aria corrects her. “It was Mona who-”

 

“If she hadn’t returned to Rosewood because of you all, then maybe she’d still be alive.”

 

“It’s not like we asked her to come back so she could make our lives hell!” Aria raises her voice, irritated at the fact that Alex was still blaming them for her older sister’s death. “We didn’t want her back, so why are you acting like we stole her from you!”

 

Alex had to refrain herself from smirking, she had to admit, something about  _ ‘Dark’  _ Aria, really sets her off. In a good way, that is.

 

Aria notices that Alex wasn't lashing out on her as she expected her to, but instead was giving her an amused expression.

 

“What?” She couldn't help but ask.

 

“I knew that I fancied you for a reason.” Alex responds as she flashes the smaller woman, a toothy grin. “You really are my favorite after all.”

 

Aria furrowed her eyebrows in confusion, “Your favorite?”

 

“Of course love, couldn't you tell?” Alex was shocked honestly, she really can't believe that the shorter brunette wasn't able to detect her favoritism towards her.

 

“You put me through hell!” Aria exclaims venomously. “You made me choose between the people that I love.”

 

“You can’t honestly say that I didn't go rather easy on you, compared to the other girls.” Alex points out with a smile. “I think I made it pretty obvious.”

 

“You put a dead body in the trunk of my car!”

 

“I tried to stop you from turning yourself in.” Alex explains herself. “You're way too peng for prison. But it seems like you were too much of a wanker, because you actually almost turned yourself in for your friends. For Spencer.”

 

“If you didn't want me to turn myself in, then why did you set us up?” 

 

“You turned on me for her. For them.” Alex mutters bitterly, “I think I was quite justified for being angry.”

 

“They're my friends.” Aria tells her.

 

“And you were supposed to be working for  _ me.”  _

 

“Well  _ I _ didn't want to work for  _ you _ !” 

 

“But I wanted you to.”

 

Aria shakes her head in disbelief, “Why?” She stares at Alex, waiting for an answer that would justify her reasoning. 

 

Alex was also looking back at Aria, there's nothing that she wouldn't do to feel her skin pressed against hers again. She wanted to hold her, like she had when she pretended to be Spencer. She wanted feel loved by her, she wanted to feel that same feeling that she felt when she first interacted with her. 

 

“Why don't I let you think about that?” Alex suggests as she glances at Aria’s hand, she was wearing the wedding ring. She let's out a small chuckle, “So you married that fool after all.”

 

“What's it to you?”

 

“You deserve better.”

 

“It's really none of your business.” Aria says defensively.

 

“Do you love him?”

 

“What?”

 

“Do you love him?” Alex repeats her question. “Ezra?”

 

“Yes I do.” Aria responds. “I've never once doubted that I do.” 

 

“Does he love you as much as you love him, though?” Alex couldn't stop herself from asking, her jealousy was getting the better of her.

 

Alex watched as the smaller woman's leg begin to slightly shake. She felt a pang of guilt hit her, for a moment she had completely forgotten about Aria’s PTSD.

 

She reaches out and presses her hand on Aria’s knee, to get her to stop shaking it. Aria stiffens at her touch. “I'm sorry.” Alex apologizes. “I never want to hurt you, but it seems like I always end up bloody doing so anyways!”

 

“You're A.D.” Aria whispers as she removes Alex's hand from her knee. “Isn't that what you're supposed to do?”

 

“I don't  _ want _ to purposely hurt  _ you _ .” Alex explains herself in a soft tone. “I just let my anger get the best of me.”

 

“But you purposely  _ want  _ to hurt Spencer, don't you?” Aria questions her. She realized that she hasn't even asked any of the questions that Spencer wanted her to ask her younger sister.

 

Alex lets out a laugh, “She really is your best mate, ain't she?” She asks rhetorically, not really expecting a response, because she already knew the answer. “Well, I can't say I'm not envious of that.”

 

“Envious of what?” 

 

“Of how much you love my  _ precious _ sister.” 

 

Aria scowls, not really understanding what the taller woman was saying. “Why would you be envious of that?” She couldn't help but ask.

 

Alex looks down for a moment, before looking back up at the smaller woman. She really was slow, wasn't she? But Alex didn't care honestly, she just finds it unbearably cute. 

 

Then again, everything about Aria was unbearably irresistible for Alex. She brings her eyes towards the shorter girl’s lips, Alex wanted nothing more than to have a taste of them again.

 

Yes, again. She had already shared her first kiss with Aria before, only that Aria had thought it was another one of her ‘Spencer Dreams’.

 

**_____________**

 

It was the night before Spencer's official release from the hospital and Ezra was soon returning, therefore Alex knew that it was also the last time that she would visit Aria like this.

 

It made her sad honestly, the fact that she wouldn't be able to hold Aria ever again. Not with Ezra back in the apartment at least. Plus, Aria would soon be off her meds anyways, so Alex really had no choice but to say goodbye.

 

So there, Alex laid with Aria’s head resting on her chest. She wondered if the smaller woman was sober enough to acknowledge how fast the taller brunette’s heart was beating. Or maybe she just didn't care, because after all this was just one of her ‘dreams’.

 

Alex really never had any high expectations for her future, after meeting Wren for the first time, she just imagined that she would spend the rest of her life with him. She loved him yeah, but she wasn't  _ in  _ love with him. He was just someone who she knew would never betray her, someone who gave her a shoulder to cry on over Charlotte's death, something that not even her own sister, Melissa Hastings did.

 

However, as she laid there, with Aria next to her, she could see it. She could see herself actually wanting to be with the tinier woman, for the rest of her life. 

 

She ran her fingers though her arms as she placed a kiss on her head. Alex didn't know what it was about Aria that made her feel all soft and warm. All she knew was that she liked the feeling, she liked the way Aria would look at her whenever she would come over during the nights. 

 

Alex was so lost in her thoughts that night, that she doesn't remember how or know why, but Aria had woken up and placed a kiss on her chin.

 

Alex recalls that her eyes widened as she turned around to face Aria, who was looking at her as if she were her whole world.

 

“A-Aria-”

 

“I know this isn't real, but for some reason I still wanted to thank you for being here for me throughout- everything.” Aria whispered as she pulled who she thought was ‘Dream Spencer’ into a tight hug. 

 

Aria never questioned why her dreams about Spencer had felt real, because she knew it wasn't possible. Not when Spencer was laying on a hospital bed, barely conscious about her surroundings. It had never occurred to her that the entire time that she was with ‘Spencer’, was really not a dream at all, but rather a twin.

 

Aria had kept her eyes on the taller brunette as she removed herself from the embrace. She stared at her for a while, before leaning in and capturing Alex in a passionate kiss.

 

Alex jumped in shock at the smaller woman's bold move, but she didn't fight it, instead she allowed Aria to straddle her, as she pulled her closer.

 

Alex felt as if her heart was going to explode as she felt Aria begin to gently rock her hips on her. She couldn't help but let out a moan into their kiss, which allowed Aria the opportunity to slip her tongue in and explore Alex’s mouth. Alex felt herself allow her hands to run up and down Aria’s sides, not wanting to miss touching any part of her. She wasn't sure how far Aria was going to go, but she knew that they couldn't go all they way. How was she going to explain everything in the morning?

 

Aria wasn't sure why she decided to make such a move, maybe it was because at the time she had genuinely thought it was a dream, so it didn't really matter. It's not like it was the first time she'd ever had a hot dream about one of her friends.

 

In desperate need of air, Aria had stopped their makeout session and just looked at Alex intensely. “This feels too real-” she breathed out.

 

Alex gently pushed Aria off of her, and stroked her face softly. “You should sleep.” She whispered. “It won't be long until you actually see me in person.”

 

Aria felt her eyes growing heavy as nodded, “I'll be sure to give you a tight hug when I see you.”

 

Alex felt herself grow rather jealous as she thought about how her twin sister would now be the one getting all of those loving looks and tight hugs from Aria, now that she would be out of the hospital. She even considered giving her another wound just to prevent that from happening.

 

“Not too tightly love,” Alex whispered as casually as she could. “I still have the gun wound, you wouldn't want to hurt me now.” 

 

Aria hummed a yes, her eyes were already closed. She was already almost asleep, meaning it was time for her to leave. But before she did, she gave Aria one final kiss on the head.

 

**_____________**

 

“Why would you be envious of that?”

 

“Like I said earlier,” Alex says. “I’ll let you figure it out. Maybe you’ll even know the answer the next time you come and visit me.”

 

“Next time?” Aria questions, she wasn’t even sure if she wanted to come back. All of this made her feel really odd. 

 

“Well, I’m assuming that you didn’t ask any of my lovely sister’s questions, meaning that she’s going to be quite gutted over that.” 

 

“I still have some time.” Aria tells her. “I could just ask what needs to be asked right now and get it over with.”

 

“Yeah, about that love.” Alex begins as she stands up from the bed and walks up to one of the mirrors hanging on the wall. “I have an appointment with the doctor here in like 10 minutes, so you won’t be able to get much out of me anyways.”

 

Alex didn’t want to lie to her, but she really didn’t want this to be the last time that she sees Aria. She wanted to spend more time with her, even if the smaller brunette could never love her the way she does. Alex didn’t care, she just wanted to look at her, be with her.

 

Aria also stands up, preparing herself to leave. “I guess I will consider it.” she replies softly. She wasn’t sure why she had almost agreed so easily to come again. Maybe it was her curiosity getting the best of her? Or could it be something else?

 

“I’d consider carefully if I was you,” Alex says as she turns around to give her a charming smile. Aria felt a sense of familiarity upon looking at the woman’s smile. 

 

Yeah, Alex did technically have Spencer’s face, so that’s where the familiarity could’ve came from, but then again she doesn’t recall Spencer ever looking at her the way that Alex was looking at her.

 

“I’m sure Spencer’s dying to know why her precious older sister, Melissa, was also involved.” 

 

“Melissa Hastings was involved too?” Aria asked in disbelief. She instantly grew to feel very sorry for her friend, seems like literally of her siblings besides Jason, were involved in the A game.

 

“That’s a conversation for your next visit.” Alex responds as she gestures Aria towards the door. A part of her wanted to pull her into a short hug, but she didn’t want to creep the shorter girl out. So she just let her walk out, without another word.

 

Alex genuinely wasn’t sure if whether or not she’d see Aria again, but for now she could only hope that she would. She could get used to having her around.


	2. Tension

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Aria wonders if whether or not she should continue to visit Alex. Spencer is forced to confront Toby. Alex begins to tell the whole story.
> 
> __
> 
> \- Not yet edited -

“She said what?!” Spencer exclaims, evidently upset about the revelation that Aria just told her. 

 

“Exactly what you heard, Spence!” Aria tells her, she seemed obviously frustrated. “Melissa was also a part of it, she was helping A.D. mess with us!”

 

“Wait wait, what?!” Another voice comes from their left. Aria and Spencer turned to find Hanna standing there, giving them a puzzled expression.

 

“Hanna, what are you doing here?” Spencer asks taken aback by Hanna’s presence. Aria and Spencer had not let the other three girls know that they were both visiting the infamous A.D.

 

“It’s my mom’s hotel,” Hanna replies in a ‘duh’ tone. She pulls out a seat, and sits down with her two friends. “The better question is, why are you two talking about Spencer’s psycho twin sister!” 

 

Aria gives Hanna a look, and she instantly realizes what she just said, “Uh- sorry Spencer,” Hanna apologizes sincerely. Her big mouth and snarky comments really can get the better of her sometimes. “What I meant to say is why were you talking about A.D? I thought we agreed to leave all of that mess behind us.”

 

Spencer and Aria give each other looks, it’s as if they were talking to each other with their minds, trying to decide if they should let their blonde friend in on what they were doing.

 

“Hey!” Hanna calls them out. “We said no more secrets, so spill.”

 

Spencer let’s out a sigh in defeat, “It’s not a big deal really.” she says.

 

“So, spill then. Before I call Alison and Emily, and make it a big deal.” Hanna continues to push her friends.

 

“I’ve- It’s just that I’ve, well  _ we’ve _ been-”

 

“Spencer, stop beating around the bush and just get to the point!” Hanna interrupts her, annoyed at her friends’ secretive behavior.

 

“We’ve been visiting Alex-”

 

“You’ve what?!” Hanna looks at the girls as if they were out of their minds. “Are you guys insane? I thought we’d all agree to just let A.D. be?”

 

“It’s just that-”

 

“No, this happens to us all the time.” Hanna interjects.

 

“Han, what are you talking about?” Aria questions her blonde friend.

 

“Every time we try to help an  _ A  _ get better, it always ends up coming back to bite us in ass.” Hanna explains. “It happened to me with Mona, to Ali with Charlotte, and now it’s going to happen with you and Aria with Alex- Wait why are  _ you _ visiting her too?”

 

“She refuses to talk to me,” Spencer speaks up. “I’ve been trying to get her to talk to me this whole past week, but she just kept looking right past me and acted as if I wasn’t even in the room. And whenever she would acknowledge me, it was just to remind me about how much she hates me.”

 

“Okay, but what does that have to do with Aria visiting her?” Hanna continues to ask.

 

“She-” Aria doesn’t know how to explain the entire situation either. She doesn’t understand why Alex was so willing to talk to her but not Spencer, someone who is actually related to Alex. “I’m not sure, now that I think of it.”

 

“Not sure about what?!” Hanna really was growing annoyed by her two friends. 

 

“I’m not sure why it was so easy to get her to talk to me.” Aria says. “I mean why was it so easy for me to have a conversation with her, while Spencer couldn’t really get anything out of her?”

 

“I already told you, she just seems to like you because she got you to turn on me while you were working for her.” Spencer replies as she looks down at her phone. She had gotten a message from Toby, he asked her out for coffee. She turns off her phone, and turns her attention back to the girls.

 

“Wait, so Alex isn’t willing to talk to Spencer but she’s willing to talk to you?” Hanna asks to make sure that she’s understood everything. 

 

Aria nods in response. “She has Pigtunia too.” she adds.

 

“That’s creepy.” Hanna tells her. “Why does she have your creepy, old puppet?”

 

“Does it really matter why?” Spencer interrupts. “The point is that there’s still more to the story, which is why you need to keep visiting her.”

 

“How long am I supposed to keep visiting her?” Aria interrogates. “Last time I had to lie to Ezra about where I was, I don’t want lying to become a regular thing between us again.”

 

“Well you don’t have to lie if you tell him that you’re hanging out with me.” Spencer suggests. “I mean that technically wouldn’t be a lie, since I am the one who drives you there.”

 

“Spencer, if she doesn’t want to go again then you can’t really force her to.” Hanna speaks up for her smaller friend.

 

Aria shakes her head, “No I’m going at least one more time.” she says. “Alex basically implied that she wanted me to visit her again, and I kind of agreed that I would. I just don’t know if I want to continue to visit her after that.”

 

“Wait wait, she asked  _ you  _ to visit her again?” Hanna points out as she raised her eyebrows in suspicion. “It really does seem like she likes you.”

 

Aria nods, “Yeah I thought we already established that.”

 

“No I mean, it really does seem like she  _ likes  _ you.” Hanna repeats herself, this time adding the emphasis on the the word ‘likes’. “Why else would she want you to come back?”

 

Aria thinks about what Hanna said,  _ Alex liking her? Sure, she did say that she was her favorite, but then again she is A.D., she probably doesn’t like her in that way. It’s just not possible _

 

“Why are you so quiet all of a sudden?” Hanna asks the shorter woman as she brings a glass of wine up to her mouth, to sip.

 

Spencer scowls, “Hey, isn’t that my drink?”

 

Hanna shrugs, “You weren’t drinking it.”

 

“Yeah because we literally just got here like ten minutes ago.”

 

“Well, I was thirsty.”

 

“Well, you could’ve ordered your own. Your mom literally owns the hotel!”

 

“Well, I didn’t want to wait five minutes for them to bring a drink to me.”

 

“Well, you could’ve asked at least.”

 

“You guys.” Aria cuts their banter short. “Can we just focus on the topic. What do I do if Alex wants me to visit her again?”

 

“So what?” Hanna tells her, as she puts the glass of wine down. “If you don’t want to see her after your next visit, then don’t.”

 

“But what if she gets upset?”

 

Spencer gives Aria a puzzled look,  _ since when did she care about what Alex thought?  _

 

“Oh well, it sucks for her then.” Hanna replies. “She literally put us through hell, we don’t owe her anything.”

 

Aria leans back on her chair and sighs, “I guess you have a point.” she admits. “But still, I think I’d feel bad if that were to happen. I don’t know.”

 

“Well, if this is going to be your last visit, then you should at least ask her the questions that I wrote for you to ask, this time.” Spencer says. She looks down at her phone, another text from Toby.

 

It’s not like she was avoiding her former lover, she just didn’t know how she would tell him that she was not the one who had last spend the night with. She doesn’t really have the heart to tell him, she could only imagine how violated he would feel.

 

Aria notices her friend tense up as she looked down at her phone, “Spence, everything okay?” she frowns. “Who is it?”

 

“Yeah- it’s just Toby.” Spencer replies as she slips her phone back into her bag. “He wants to see me.”

 

Hanna nods, “You haven’t told him yet, have you?”

 

“I don’t know how to, I-” Spencer tries to explain herself. “I just don’t want to hurt him and I don’t want him to feel bad for not-”

 

“He deserves the right to know Spence.” Hanna replies. 

 

“Yeah, Hanna’s right.” Aria adds as she reaches out to grab Spencer’s hand. She quickly takes notice of how different it felt like when Alex touched her, compared to when she touched Spencer. With Spencer she felt comfortable, with Alex she felt nervous. “The longer you keep this from him, the more hurt he will be when he finds out the truth.”

 

Spencer clears her throat, “I’ll talk to him later.” she says. “But right now, I think we should just focus on the whole Alex thing.” she turns to face Aria. “Am I taking you today or another day?”

 

Aria avoids eye contact for a moment, she wondered if whether Alex would assume that she would no longer be visiting her. Would she be angry? She then thinks about Ezra, she doesn’t want to continue lying to him. “Maybe we should wait a day or two. In case if Ezra grows suspicious.” 

 

The shorter woman had a point, Ezra was a writer, he pays attention to detail. He’d be able to eventually catch Aria in a lie. 

 

Spencer nods and Hanna sighs. “So how long were you two planning on keeping this a secret?”

 

“Until the whole thing played out.” Spencer responds.

 

“Well, now that  _ I  _ know, I’m assuming you two are planning to tell Ali and Em about you guys playing detective with A.D. behind our backs.”

 

“We don’t really want to get them all worked up with this.” 

 

“No more secrets, remember?”

 

Aria and Spencer gave each other a look, they knew that Hanna wasn’t going to give them another choice. 

 

**_____________**

 

Alex didn’t know why she was still expecting for the shorter brunette to show up. It has been two days since she last saw the woman who made her feel weak simply by looking at her. She wasn’t sure if she should still have any hope in seeing her again.

 

Not even Spencer has stopped by to even check on her. Alex begins to pierce her nails into her skin. 

 

Maybe she had intimidated Aria too much? Maybe Spencer had finally given up on her? Maybe she really was all alone after all.

 

Alex lets out a bitter laugh, she should’ve known. She should’ve known better. She shouldn’t have gotten her hopes up with Aria. Alex knew that the short brunette was way too obsessed with Ezra Fitz, she knew that Aria would never look at her the way she looks at him, the way she looks at Spencer, and all her other friends.

 

But still, she had hope. She hoped that with time, Aria would at least grow sympathetic towards her. That she would grow to at least enjoy her presence.

 

She should’ve known it was stupid to even think that was possible. Once again she had let her stupidity blind her from reality.

 

Alex glaces at the food tray that had just been served to her. She was starving, and the food was tempted to eat. But the anger that had just overpowered her, was much stronger.

 

She grabs the plate and slams it into the wall. 

 

She was sick of this. She was sick of being locked up in the same room that Charlotte was in, it only made her miss her older sister like crazy. Charlotte was the only person who ever really loved her for being Alex, not because she had Spencer’s face or anything. She was sick of being all alone. She was sick of not being loved.

 

How was it fair that Spencer got everything while she got nothing! Why was Spencer the lucky one, why not her? Why can’t she get anyone to love her for who she is?

 

Alex lets herself to fall onto her bed, hoping that with an empty stomach, the medication would slowly help her drift away. She didn’t want to think anymore. She wanted it to stop. 

 

The British woman continued to dig her nails into her skin, hoping to distract herself from the taunting voices in her head, that kept reminding her of what she would never have.

 

Love.

 

**_____________**

 

A couple days later, Spencer was sitting at The Brew waiting for Aria to come downstairs so she could take her to see Alex. She realized that it had been almost a week since either one of them had gone to see her.

 

Spencer would have gone by herself, but not only has she been busy helping her mom, Veronica, running the state office. Being a senator was definitely hard work. Also, Spencer really didn’t want to deal with getting rejected by her twin sister, not when she’s been really stressed the entire week.

 

She was so caught up in her mind that she jumped a bit when she felt someone touch her shoulder. “Spencer..” a familiar voice says. She feels her heart drop as she turns around and comes face to face with Toby.

 

“Toby..” Spencer greets him with a soft smile. “Hey, h-how are you?” she hasn’t seen Toby since Ezra and Aria’s wedding. 

 

“Really?” Toby asks in disbelief. “You’ve been ignoring all of my calls, all of my texts for the past three weeks and this is all I get?”

 

“I-I’ve just been very busy.” Spencer tries to explain herself. 

 

“And now you’re making up excuses? You can’t even tell me the real reason as to why you’re avoiding me?” Toby frowns. “I’ve missed you. I’ve been wanting to talk to you, and I thought you would to.”

 

Spencer sighs, “How can I Toby?” she asks, expressing her stress through her hand gestures. “How can I face you after everything that’s happened?”

 

“What are you talking about?”

 

“Alex.” Spencer replies as she avoids eye contact with him. “I didn’t know how I could face you after everything that happened a couple of weeks ago.”

 

Toby’s expression softens, “Spence, if this is about me not being able to tell the difference between you and her, then you have to know how truly sorry I am. I’m such an idiot-”

 

Spencer shakes her head, “No, Toby that’s not what I’m trying to say-”

 

“No Spencer, let me finish.” Toby interrupts as he makes his way closer to her. He plays a hand on her face, and gently caresses her. “You have no idea how much I hate myself for not realizing it sooner. The fact that Jenna was able to figure it out while I couldn’t just proves how much of an idiot I am. Damn it, even a horse could tell the difference between you and her and I couldn’t! I understand if you’re angry at me, for kissing her, for-”

 

“Toby!” Spencer raises her voice a bit, as she grabs onto his hand tightly. “I’m not mad at you. I-I’m mad at myself.”

 

“What?”

 

“Because of me, you were put in danger. You were manipulated and taken advantage of. Again.” Spencer tells him, she feels her eyes beginning to water. “It’s me who should be apologizing. Toby, it wasn’t me who you spent the night with.”

 

Toby nods slowly, “I know.” he tells her which results in Spencer giving him a perplexed expression. “I mean I didn’t know  _ at the time _ , but after learning that it was her who kissed me that day I was supposed to be leaving- it wasn’t hard to put two and two together.”

 

Spencer feels a tear stream down her face, “I’m really sorry Toby.” she apologizes.

 

“Hey,” he gently says as he pulls her into a hug. “This isn’t your fault, you had no way of knowing of her existence.”

 

Before Spencer had the opportunity to say something else, their sweet moment was interrupted by Aria who came rushing down the stairs. 

 

“Hey Spence sorry I took so long, Ezra-” Aria stops talking once she sees the two former lovers, wrapped in each other’s arms. “Is this a bad time?”

Spencer removes herself from Toby’s embrace, “No, no. We should go now.” she then turns around to face Toby, “We’ll talk later, okay?” 

 

She grabs Aria’s arm and they both rush out of the shop. “What took you so long?” 

 

“I couldn’t come up with a good lie and he started becoming suspicious.” Aria says as she opens the door to the passenger seat of Spencer’s car. “So then I said that we were going to an ‘Only Female’ gym, which meant I had to pack extra clothes to make it look realistic.”

 

Spencer starts her car and gives her friend a look, “You used to be such a better liar.” she comments.

 

Aria sighs, “Guess I forgot how to lie.” she replies. “I really hope it doesn’t become something regular for me again.”

 

**_____________**

 

They arrived at Welby and rushed inside. There they were informed about Alex’s current condition. 

 

“Your sister has been refusing to eat again.” The nurse tells Spencer. “And that’s because we thought she was making progress since your last visit, but two days after, she stopped eating again. She even got a bit aggressive with the food and threw her plates to the ground.”

 

Aria began to feel guilty after what the nurse told them. She knew the reason behind Alex’s behavior was because she probably thought that she had been lied to. Aria knew that she was to blame for Alex’s violent outburst.

 

“She’s also started to self harm-”

 

“What?!” Aria exclaims. “How could you let her do that to herself, aren’t you supposed to be monitoring your patients?”

 

“It’s been taken care of Ms.” the Nurse calmly responds before turning back to Spencer, “Will you be joining the young lady here or will it be just her again?”

 

“It’s just her.”

 

“Alright, then why don’t you sign in right here while I’ll go inform the patient that they have a visitor.” 

 

Aria walks up to the counter to sign in. Spencer sighs and walks up to her friend, “I know what you’re thinking, it’s not your fault Aria.”

 

“If I hadn’t taken so long to come, then maybe she wouldn’t have done this to herself.” she begins. Aria had started to tremble, what had she done? “I’m sorry Spencer, I shouldn’t have-”

 

“Hey, you had no way of knowing that she would’ve done this to herself.” Spencer tries to calm her friend. She could tell that the news had really shaken her. “I’ll find a way to make sure that they won’t allow her to do this to herself.”

 

Aria nods as she finishes writing her name. She tries to calm herself down, but the guilt still lingers.

 

“Now remember, you can’t leave without her at least telling you what she promised she would tell you.” Spencer reminds her. “About Melissa.”

 

Aria nods again, “Okay. I will.”

 

**_____________**

 

Upon hearing that she had a visitor, Alex grew curious. She wondered if it could be Spencer or Aria.

 

At this point, she honestly didn’t care. She would never admit this out loud, but she had grown to miss seeing her sister. It felt really lonely to have no one around.

 

It wasn’t Spencer who walked through the door though. Alex immediately sits up on her bed. “Aria.” she says her name in a quiet voice. “You came.”

 

Aria walks towards her and sat a few inches away from Alex on the bed. She discreetly begins to look for any scars that the taller woman may have. “I said I would, didn’t I?

 

“You didn’t have to come though, but you did.” Alex couldn’t hide the small smile that had begun to grow on her face. She had to stop herself from reaching out to grab the smaller woman’s hand, even though she really was tempted to. “Thank you.”

 

Aria was taken aback, why was she thanking her? Does her visit really mean a lot to Alex? “Wow.” Aria awkwardly chuckles. “I really don’t know how to get this conversation going.”

 

She then glances down at Alex’s clenched fists, that were resting on the bed. She instantly noticed the dried blood stains on the bottom of her palm. Without thinking twice, she grabs Alex’s wrist and unclenched her fists. “Did you do this to yourself?”

 

Alex stares at the younger woman, she couldn’t help the way her heart jumped at her touch. She really missed spending her nights with her. She really misses being able to hold her. Alex doesn’t know if whether she should tell Aria about those times that they spend together. When she really thought about it, what she had done was really creepy. Maybe that’s something she better keep to herself.

 

“D-Did you hurt yourself because of me?” Aria’s bottom lip quivered. “Did I do this to you?”

 

Alex felt her heart drop as a tear escaped from Aria’s eye. She couldn’t help herself anymore, she pulls Aria’s petite body into a hug. “Please don’t cry.” Alex whispers into her ear. “Please don’t cry because of me.”

 

Aria didn’t know how to react to the situation that she was in, she didn’t want to push her away, but at the same time she didn’t want to hug her back. Somehow, this all felt a bit too familiar for her. 

 

“I’m sorry that I did this to you.” Aria apologizes as she removes herself from Alex’s embrace. “Wait here.” She walks into the restroom, only to return a few moments later with a damp paper towel.

 

She sits down on the bed again, this time a bit closer to Alex. She begins to gently dab the paper towel on her palm. 

 

“I didn’t do it because of you.” Alex then breaks the silence. Aria looks up at her, her eyes met with Alex’s. Those damn eyes were going to be the death of Alex. “I did it to distract myself.”

 

“Distract yourself from what?” Aria wasn’t sure why she was suddenly so concerned over the older woman’s well being. “Are you okay?”

 

Alex hesitates. She doesn’t want to tell Aria about vicious voice in her head, she doesn’t want her to be intimidated because of it. “I just wanted the pain to stop.” Alex decides to beat around the bush. She doesn’t want to tell her the  _ whole  _ truth. “The physical pain was more bearable than the emotional pain.”

 

“Pain?” Aria blurts out. She was surprised honestly, it had never occurred to her that the notorious A.D. could also feel pain as well. 

 

“It’s bloody annoying, ain’t it?” Alex avoids her question. “These paper towels really are duff, look at them already tearing-”

 

“Alex.” The British woman stops talking. It was the first time she heard the younger woman say her name. She likes the way it sounds coming out of her mouth. “You didn’t answer my question.” Aria persists. “What pain?”

 

Alex lets out an uncomfortable laugh, “You know this used to be Charlotte’s room.” she tells her. Aria feels herself grow tense at the mention of her former tormentor’s name. “It hurts to always be reminded of her. It hurts to always be reminded how the only person who ever truly loved me, is gone.”

 

Aria doesn’t know what to say. She doesn’t know Alex that well to try and tell her otherwise. “Oh.” was all she managed to say. 

 

Aria then recalls the existence of Mary Drake, Wren Kingston, and Melissa Hastings. “Wait, I mean I heard that you had Mary Drake and Wren Kingston working for you, plus you also mentioned knowing Melissa Hastings? Don’t they mean anything to you?” Aria couldn’t stop herself from asking.

 

Alex snorts, “Well Wren is  _ gone  _ for starters. Besides, I’ve been told the only reason he even got together with me was because he was  _ obsessed  _ with Spencer.” she tells her. “As for Mary Drake and Melissa Hastings, those women have always preferred Spencer over me. So if you’re not getting it, the overall picture here is that it’s always been Spencer.”

 

Aria scowls, “What do you mean?” she questions the taller brunette.

 

“Charlotte was the only person who ever loved  _ me  _ for being me. She didn’t see me as Spencer, or thought of me as less than Spencer.” Alex explains, she feels as if her heart was about to burst due to all of the sadness that she was feeling. “She loved me for being Alex. I was good enough for her.”

 

Aria notices that the older woman had begun to dig her nails into her skin again. She gently grabs her other hand, and removes her nails from her skin. She begins to clean the blood stains from that hand too.

 

“I don’t get it.” Aria speaks up. “If Mary Drake and Melissa preferred Spencer, then why did they help you torture her?”

 

“Mary?” Alex begins as she watches as Aria carefully wipes the blood away from her hand. At that moment she couldn't help but wonder how different her life would be if she had been born first instead. Would she still have fallen in love with Aria? Or would she have fallen in love with Toby?

 

“Please, that woman most likely only helped me was because she felt guilty. The whole time she kept talking about how she didn't want me to hurt Spencer blah blah blah.” Alex laughs bitterly. “Even our own mother, preferred Spencer.”

 

Aria didn't know how to respond, so she just let her continue to talk.

 

“As for Melissa, she suspected that one of you had murdered Charlotte, specifically you, Hanna, or Alison. She was one hundred percent sure that Spencer had nothing to do with it.”

 

“Wait, why were Ali, Hanna, and I suspects?” Aria questions the older woman. “And why would Melissa even care about who killed Charlotte?”

 

“She claims to have seen you and Alison at the bell tower that night that Charlotte-” she couldn't bare to finish the sentence. Alex takes a deep breathe before continuing. “As for Hanna, ever since her violent outburst towards Charlotte that she showcased to Melissa during some Fashion event, she was always one of the top suspects for her.”

 

Aria nods, “Okay I got that, but why would Melissa care about any of this? As far as we know, she hated Charlotte?”

 

Alex bursted out laughing, “Really? Is that what that bitch told you girls?”

 

“It's what she told Hanna.”

 

“Please, my  _ lovely _ sister, Melissa Hastings was in love with my sister.” Alex stops herself. “Wait that sounds wrong, gross. What I meant to say was, My  _ lovely  _ sister was in love with my other sister, who thankfully, she wasn't related to.”

 

“Wait, what?” Aria’s mouth drops. “But why?”

 

Alex had to hide her smile. Aria really was the cutest. “As far as I know, they had already broken up when I first met Charlotte. Charlotte didn't say Melissa's name specifically, but I knew it had to be her. Who else would've introduced her to Wren? Despite the fact that Melissa knew Wren first though, he decided to introduce me to Charlotte first. So I guess that shows who he preferred.”

 

Aria was so intrigued by what Alex was telling her, that she didn't realize that she was still holding onto Alex's hand. Again, Alex tries to hide her smile and keeps on going, not really wanting Aria to let her go.

 

“I heard the break up ended pretty bad, apparently Charlotte thought that Melissa and Peter were the ones behind Jessica DiLaurentis’ murder. Therefore that made Spencer one of her favorite targets, because she wanted to hurt Melissa by hurting her precious sister.”

 

“Wait so Melissa knew that Charlotte was A the whole time, and didn't go to the police? Not even when Spencer and the rest of us were kidnapped?!” Aria asks, she was outraged by the news.

 

Alex's eyes lit up, there's something so enchanting about Aria when she gets mad. What a great couple they could've been together.

 

“Like I said, she was in love with Charlotte.”

 

“Then what about Wren? If she was so in love with Charlotte, then why did express her hatred for her in front of Hanna during that Fashion event? And why did she get back together with Wren?”

 

“She said she was back together with Wren?” Alex bursts out laughing again. “How is that possible? He has been with me ever since I met him. That woman literally lies to your faces all the time, and you all don't question her?” 

 

“So if she wasn't with Wren, then why did she lie to Hanna?” Aria couldn't comprehend the entire situation. 

 

“She hooked up with several people, but she never had another relationship as far as I know.” Alex replies with a shrug. “And to be completely honest, I don't have a clue about what Melissa told Hanna, all she told me was that your friend had acted very aggressive at the mention of Charlotte's name. If Spencer really wants to know the reason, she'll just have to ask her sister herself now.”

 

“It seems like you and Melissa worked pretty closely together.” Aria then points out. “How were you sure that you could trust her when you said that she prefers Spencer over you?”

 

“When we found out that Charlotte was-” once again, Alex can't bring herself to say it. “After finding out what happened to Charlotte, we both broke down into each other's arms. At the time, I thought that maybe she would grow to love me as much as she loved Spencer, but I was wrong. A few days later, she went back with her family, and I was all alone again.”

 

“So you decided to take over the game with Melissa and Wren?”

 

“It started off with just Wren and I, Melissa joined after she realized that something was up with Spencer. She joined for two reasons.” Alex states. “One, she too wanted to find out who was responsible for what happened to Charlotte and two, she wanted to protect Spencer from me. She was growing suspicious about my resentment towards my twin sister.”

 

Aria then realizes that she was still grasping tightly onto Alex's hands and quickly releases her. “Sorry.” She says shyly.

 

Alex then grabs Aria's hand, “Do I have to draw more blood out of my hand in order to get you to hold it for a little bit longer?” She says light heartedly. She wasn't completely serious, but she just wanted to lighten the mood.

 

Aria's eyes widened as she rapidly shook her head, “No, please don't hurt yourself anymore.” Aria pleads as she grabs Alex's hand to make sure she doesn't continue to dig her nails into her skin.

 

Alex uses her free hand to caress Aria's right cheek. Aria freezes, she wonders why Alex was being so affectionate towards her. “What are you doing to me Aria Montgomery?” Aria could feel the other woman's breath on her face, she hadn't realized how close they were sitting next to each other.

 

“W-What do you mean?” Aria stammers. Alex realizes that she makes her nervous. She doesn't know if that's a good thing or a bad thing.

 

If Alex were to lean in, just a little bit, she would be kissing the younger brunette. And boy, did she want to. But she refrains herself from doing so, she doesn't want Aria to leave yet. She's missed her like crazy.

 

Meanwhile, Aria isn't sure if she wants Alex to move away or come closer. All she knows is that she can't bring herself to move. She finds herself locking eyes with Alex. 

 

Yes, she does have Spencer's eyes, but it doesn't feel like it's Spencer who's looking at her. Spencer's eyes have never looked at her in such an alluring way. Looking into Spencer's eyes had never made her nervous before, so why is she completely losing it on the inside?

 

Alex leans in a bit and Aria freezes. 

 

Was this really about to happen? And if it is, then why is Aria making no effort to move away, at all?

  
  


* * *

**Sorry for the grammatical errors.**


	3. Confrontations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Aria begins to question her feelings for Ezra and Alex, while Spencer finally begins to get some answers from Melissa.

She could have kissed her right then and there. Alex’s face was so close to hers, she could hear Aria let out a small gulp. She was nervous. But still, Alex couldn’t tell if that was a good or bad thing.

 

Their eyes never left each other, while they just sat there, inches apart. Alex observes Aria’s face, trying to figure out what the younger woman was thinking. She’s not sure if she should proceed or not.

 

Aria wasn’t sure why she didn’t move, she just continued to stare at the taller woman’s face the entire time. She has never seen someone look at her with so much fear yet with so much adoration at the same time. It made her go numb just by thinking about it.

 

Aria then glances down at Alex’s mouth for a bit, before looking back up. She wonders if kissing her, would feel the same as it felt like when she would dream about kissing Spencer. 

 

Aria had never admitted this out loud, but before she had gotten too invested into her relationship with Ezra, she had always harbored a small crush on her best friend. Well, she never really figured out if it really was a crush or if she just really admired her friend.

 

Either way, what she had felt for Spencer then, doesn’t compare to what she was feeling at that moment. She was scared, but that didn’t stop her from eyes fluttering shut.

 

Alex smiles and takes those actions as a form of agreement from the younger woman. So she closes her eyes as well, and leans in closer. Alex wonders if Aria could hear how fast her heart was beating as she leaned in. 

 

Their lips briefly touch, and Alex gives her a short kiss before remaining completely still. She's not sure, if whether or not she should proceed. Aria was making no effort to stop her, but at the same time she wasn’t putting any effort into the kiss either.

 

When Aria felt Alex’s lips on her, a sense of familiarity and comfort kicked in. She felt as if she has experienced this before, but she can’t remember from where exactly.

 

Aria slowly opened her eyes when she realized that Alex had stopped moving her lips, she see’s that her face is still within centimeters aways from hers. She was staring back at her too.

 

This would’ve been the perfect time for Aria to pull away. And it probably would’ve been the morally right thing to do if she had, but it’s as if staring into Alex’s dark eyes had put her in some sort of trance, because next thing she knew, she had lunged herself towards the taller woman, capturing her with a longing and needy kiss.

 

Alex was pleasantly surprised by the shorter woman’s actions, but she didn’t even think about trying to stop her. Instead, she pushes Aria against her pillow and proceeds to deepen their kiss. Aria couldn’t suppress the moan that escapes from her as Alex slides her tongue into her mouth.

 

Aria knew that what she was doing was wrong, but she didn’t want it to stop. She didn’t want the amazing feeling that she got from kissing the taller woman to go away. Alex pulls away for a moment, in desperate need of air. 

 

Only a second had gone by, before Aria wraps her arms around Alex’s neck and pulls her back in for another round. Alex doesn’t hesitate to continue, in fact she crawls in between Aria’s legs in order to have a better grip of Aria’s lips. She feels herself completely melt into the smaller woman’s arms. This was like a dream, a beautiful dream that she did not want to wake up from. Ever.

 

Before things can go any further though, a knock on the door forces Aria to push the taller brunette away, and to quickly sit up. 

 

Aria avoids eye contact with Alex, as a nurse walks in through the door carrying a tray of food. It was time for Alex’s dinner. The nurse had greeted Alex in a friendly manner and made small talk with her, asking about how she was doing and feeling, before exiting the room, leaving the two women to sit in silence.

 

Alex doesn’t know what to say, she doesn’t know if she should even bother to expect the younger woman’s visits anymore. Aria didn’t look at her, she couldn’t believe what she had just done.

 

She is a married woman  and she has cheated on her husband. All this time, she had critiqued her dad for cheating on her mom, and here she goes and does the exact same thing.

 

If Alex were alone right now, she’d probably slap herself several times. How could she have been such an idiot? How could she have ruined her relationship with Aria before it had even started?

 

Aria slowly moves her attention towards Alex’s hands. She had already started to dig her nails into her skin again. For a moment, it’s as if Aria had forgotten about awkward atmosphere as she quickly loosens the woman’s hands. “Please stop.” she whispers.

 

Alex glances down at their hands before looking back up at Aria, she isn’t sure what to say now. She could apologize, but she doesn’t want to. Because she’s not sorry. She doesn’t regret kissing Aria, it’s actually something that she’ll probably cherish forever.

 

Aria then lets go of her hand and looks at what the nurse had brought. That’s when she remembered that the nurses had said that the taller woman had refused to eat for the past week. 

 

Alex could tell that Aria was clearly no longer comfortable, she wanted to say something. Something to lighten the mood. Something that would get the younger woman to look at her. “Aria-”

 

“You should eat.” Aria interrupts her. She really didn’t want to talk about what had just happened. 

 

“What?”

 

“You should eat.” Aria repeats herself. “While you finish telling me everything you know.” She knew she couldn’t return to Spencer with no answers.

 

“I’d rather not.” the British woman replies. “I’m not really hungry-”

 

“Don’t make me force you to eat it.” Aria threatens.

 

“I wouldn’t mind if you did.” Alex says as she tries to hide the little smirk that had crept on her face.

 

If looks could kill, Alex would be dead already. This time, the young British woman couldn’t hide her smile as she grabs the tray. She really was fascinated by Aria’s sudden bossy attitude. She scoops a spoonful of soup, and brings it to her mouth.

 

“So, what else does my lovely sister have to ask me?”

 

“Why?”

 

Alex tilts her head in confusion. “Why what, love?” 

 

Aria was surprised that the older woman was able to act as if nothing had happened. She wasn’t complaining though, she really didn’t want to think about the fact that she had just cheated on Ezra, the man she had sworn would be the love of her life. 

 

No. She won’t think about that. Not now at least.

 

“Why did you do this to Spencer?” Aria asks. “I understand that before you thought that we were the ones responsible for what happened to Charlotte, but even after you found out that we weren’t-”

 

Aria closes her eyes as she recalls every bad thing that A.D. had put her and her friends through. The terror that they all faced in the hands of Mona, Charlotte, and Alex. Including everyone else that was involved as well. 

 

“Aria,” Alex puts her tray down and gently wipes the tear that had escaped from Aria’s eye. “Why are you crying.”

 

“I know that we weren’t always the best people.” Aria says, in an almost whisper. “But did we really deserve everything that you, and the whole A Team put us through? Did we?”

 

“I didn’t know about you back then,” Alex begins. “And then when I did, I tried to not hurt you as bad. I-I tried to get you on my team-”

 

“But you hurt my friends.” Aria actually was actually starting to get angry, only this time Alex didn’t find it so amusing. “ _ You  _ made me hurt  _ my  _ friends!  _ You  _ violated Emily and Ali in one of the worst ways possible! You almost killed my husband and my best friend. And you got Melissa to turn against Spencer!”

 

“What was I supposed to do?!” Alex didn’t want to raise her voice at the petite girl, but she was basically forcing her to. She didn’t like being told what she did wrong. Her whole life, her foster family always treated her as if everything she was wrong! She was nothing like Spencer, who had everybody’s love. She even had Aria’s unconditional love. How could she compete with that? “My whole life, I was never good enough. I had a shitty life Aria, all while Spencer had the luxury to be surrounded by people who loved her! Mary Drake came looking for her, she never came to look for me! How do you think that made me feel? Even my own mother didn’t want me like she wanted Spencer! I had and still have every right to resent Spencer for that!”

 

“But it wasn’t  _ her  _ fault!” Aria continues to defend her best friend. “Spencer didn’t even know you existed, if she had known about you she would have accepted you. We all would have. You didn’t have to try to kill her, or try to ruin her relationship with her mother and Melissa.”

 

“Were you not listening dear?” Alex scoffs, “I didn’t force that bitch to do anything, she probably worked with Charlotte at one point even.”

 

“You said they were dating, you didn’t say anything about her working with A.”

 

“Well duh, it’s not that hard to put the pieces together. Don’t be so daft.” Alex responds. “If she knew Charlotte was A, then why didn’t stop her from hurting her little sister that she claims to love so much? Because she was obviously a part of it too.”

 

“But why?”

 

“I already told you, get Spencer to ask her precious older sister.” Alex says a bit too harshly. “It’s not like I can go inside that woman’s mind and tell you everything you want to know.”

 

Aria shakes her head, “Spencer’s not a bad person. None of us are. We didn’t deserve any of this!”

 

Alex couldn’t take it. She couldn’t stand hearing Aria constantly defend her twin sister. “If you’re going to just sit here and defend Spencer, then I don’t want to hear it.”

 

“Good. Because you won’t.” Aria stood up and stomped towards the door. 

 

“Where are you going?”

 

“I’m done.” Aria snaps as she turns around to look at her. “Look I understand, you had a rough life. But I can’t just sit here acting as if you didn’t make my friends and  _ my  _ life a living hell, when we had nothing to do with the fact that by fate, you had the life that you did.”

 

“You don’t understand!” Alex tries to protest. “None of you understand what it felt like to live the way I did. All alone, for years with no one-”

 

“I understand that you’re life was unfair!” Aria cuts her off. “But Spencer wasn’t and isn’t to blame for that. And if you’re not willing to understand that- then I’m sorry, but I can’t keep doing this.”

 

**_____________**

 

No matter how many times Spencer attempted to ask Aria why she had ran out of Alex’s room in tears, the shorter woman wouldn’t say anything.

 

She didn’t know what to say. The short haired woman was feeling too many emotions, much more that she could bare. Anger and Resentment were two of those emotions. She couldn’t stand the fact that Alex acted as if Spencer was to blame for her own misery when that was far from the truth. 

 

She hated how poorly she spoke of her best friend. She had no right to talk about her best friend in that way!

 

But that’s not what made her cry. It was the fear and guilt that she felt as soon as she stormed out of Alex’s room that brought her to tears.

 

Despite everything, Aria worried about what the taller brunette would do to herself after the way Aria just marched away from her.

 

Would she self harm again? Would she starve herself to death? Would she attempt to kill herself. 

 

Aria couldn’t bare to think about any of that. No matter how hard and how much harm A.D. had caused her and her loved ones, she still didn’t want the British woman to suffer. She didn’t want to be the reason why Alex was hurting herself.

 

She had also avoided Ezra the whole night, she wouldn’t even dare look him in the eye after what she had done yesterday. She cheated.

 

The worst part of it all, is that she doesn’t even regret doing so. Yes, she feels guilty as hell. But she knew, if she were to redo all over again, that she would do the exact same thing. 

 

It wasn’t until the day after, where she met up with Spencer again at the Radley Hotel. She told her everything that Alex had told her. About Melissa. About her relationship with Charlotte. 

 

That, of course, only left the young Hastings woman, with a lot more questions. 

 

“I can’t believe this.” Spencer then spoke. “Melissa and Charlotte?”

 

“That’s what she said.”

 

Spencer shakes her head, “But wait, didn’t she supposedly hate her? I mean, didn’t Hanna say that Charlotte was the reason Melissa and Wren had broken up?”

 

Aria shrugs, “Alex said she doesn’t know why Melissa said that when Wren had been with Alex ever since he met her.” she tells her friend. “She even thinks that she helped Charlotte when she was A.”

 

“I-I don’t understand.” the taller woman says as she let out a sigh in defeat. “Why would Melissa do this? To me? I mean I knew that we didn’t always get along, but still. She buried a body for me Aria, why would she risk herself for me only to then help our tormentor make my life a living hell?! I-”

 

“Spencer.” Aria interrupts her friends rant. “I already told you. I don’t know.”

 

Spencer scowls at her friend, “You know, ever since yesterday you’ve been in a very melancholy mood.” she changes the subject. “What happened in there? What did Alex do to you?” She couldn’t help getting slightly overprotective over her tiny friend. 

 

Aria shakes her head, “Your sister was just being very irritating. I snapped and walked out.”

 

Spencer reaches out to grab Aria’s small hand, and she gently runs her thumb across it. “I’m sorry that I forced you to do this.” 

 

Aria couldn’t stop herself from noticing how different it felt like when Spencer would touch her compared to whenever Alex would. Yesterday, having Alex all over her, felt too ethereal. 

 

She was a bit frustrated about that. The fact that she no longer felt a ‘spark’ whenever Spencer would touch her hand like she used to. Now, that ‘spark’ she would feel it whenever she was with her twin sister instead. And she didn’t like it. She didn’t like that she was feeling that way.

 

Aside from Ezra, Spencer is one of the people who are not from her family, that she cares about the most. She doesn’t want to betray Spencer or Ezra this way. 

 

“You know I’d do anything for you.” Aria gives her a small smile. “I love you.”

 

Spencer feels her heart warm at her best friend’s kind word. “I love you too.” she tells her. “Which is why, I won’t force you to see my sister anymore if you don’t want to. I won’t put you through that anymore.”

 

Aria stops to think for a moment, is that what she really wants? To never see Alex again? Yeah, life without her had been very peaceful and stress free. But then again, it’s not like she wasn’t used to living an overly stressful life. 

 

“I’ll think about it.”

 

**_____________**

 

After dropping off the younger brunette back at her place with Ezra, Spencer knew what she had to do. She had to see Melissa.

 

She had so many questions she wanted to ask her older sister, she had so many things to tell her. She couldn’t stand it. 

 

How could have Melissa done this to her? Did she really mean shit to her? Why would she help her tormentors make her life total hell?

 

“Melissa!” Spencer angrily calls out her older sister’s name as she storms into their family barn, where her sister had been staying. When she walks in she finds an opened suitcase on the couch, surrounded by clothing.

 

It didn’t take Spencer long to realize that her sister was probably leaving soon. She was fleeing. “Melissa!” she calls out her sister’s name again.

 

“What is with all the yelling?” Melissa questions as she approaches her younger sister from behind. She walks up to her suitcase and places more clothes in it.

 

“Where are you going?”

 

“Believe it or not Spencer, some of us still have jobs to get back to.” Melissa replies. “I’ve been on a break for a whole month, I think it’s time I go back.”

 

“Are you sure it isn’t because you’re running away from something?” Spencer challenges her older sister. “Again.”

 

Melissa turns around and gives her younger sister a quizative look, “I’m not sure I understand what you’re implying here.” she says swiftly. “Is it that hard to believe that I have another life overseas, to get back to?”

 

“Stop lying to me.” Spencer insists on confronting her older sister. “You don’t think I can’t tell when you lie to me? Like that time that you said you ran into Toby back in England when you and I both know that you didn’t see him there. Or that time when you were in Alison’s room, where you said you were looking for Ian, but in that video you clearly stormed in there and said ‘Where is she?’ Or how about that time-”

 

“All of which are from the past Spencer.” Melissa interrupts her, she gives her younger sister an innocent smile. “I’m still not understanding what you’re trying to say?”

 

“ _ You  _ were a part of it, weren’t you?” The youngest Hastings questions her older sister. 

 

“A part of  _ what _ ?” Melissa’s smile then turns into a frown. Her little sister really was getting on her last nerve.

 

Everything begins to suddenly hit her. “That’s why Charlotte deleted that video of you and Wilden in the Queen of Hearts costumes, from Mona’s laptop? That’s why she would speak so highly of you, when we first met her as ‘Cece Drake’. That’s why your confession tape about what you did to Bethany Young, never got leaked.  _ -A _ could’ve taken that opportunity to hurt you and I if she did. But why didn’t she, Melissa? How come Mike got completely beaten by -A, while -A never touched  _ you? _ ”

 

Spencer let her older sister’s silence, along the tears that had begun to slowly stream down her face, answer her questions. She gave her a horrified expression. “I can’t believe you would do this to me?”

 

Melissa scoffs as she wipes her tears away, “I swear I’m going to kill that little bitch if she ever thinks about stepping a foot out of that place.”

 

“Melissa-”

 

“I can’t believe that you’re even visiting that little psycho in the first place.” The eldest Hastings daughter continued to voice her hatred towards the youngest Drake sister. 

 

“Don’t say that-”

 

“You’re defending her now?”

 

“I’m not.” Spencer responds. “I just don’t think that you have any right to judge her mental condition when  _ you,  _ too, were dating one. Not to mention that out of all of the mental patients that you could have dated, you decided to fall in love with the one who made my life a nightmare!”

 

“You didn’t know her like I did.” Melissa slightly raises her voice. “None of you understood her the way I did.”

 

“She was a monster, Melissa!”

 

“She wasn’t a monster, she was hurting! She was angry.” Melissa snaps. “She just needed help- she was sick.”

 

“That didn’t stop you from playing the game with her. You helped her torture us, you-”

 

“You’re going to act like you didn’t deserve it at the time?” Melissa was shocked that her younger sister wasn’t aware of it. “You, Alison, and all of your little friends used to be such horrible people. You all blinded a little girl, harassed Charlotte’s childhood best friend, and not to mention that you and almost all of your friends each had a taste of two of my boyfriends. You didn’t treat me like an older sister, Spencer, you treated me like a rival. So that’s how I started to see you too.”

 

Spencer finds herself reflecting on every horrible thing that the group of friends had done as freshmen. She knows that she and her friends are no longer those problematic kids, but that doesn’t automatically erase the guilt that she feels whenever she does recall those memories.

 

“The way I saw it,” Melissa continues. “I buried the body of some girl, who I thought you killed, I was protecting you Spencer. And then you started to treat me  _ really  _ badly. You betrayed me by kissing my fiancee. I risked myself for you because I love you, and that’s what I got in return? You can’t seriously blame me for being angry.”

 

“Okay, so you were in love with Charlotte and clearly resented me with a passion.” Spencer recaps what her sister just said. “But why did you let Charlotte take us into the doll house. If you loved me so much, then why did you let her go that far?”

 

“Around that time, I wasn’t with her anymore-”

 

“Why?”

 

“She thought dad and I were the ones who killed her mom- or who she thought was her mom.” Melissa feels a tear escape from her eye as she recalls the conversation that she had shared with the blonde. She was so angry at her that she wouldn’t even let her talk, all she did was yell hurtful words at her, before she hung up. 

 

“Why did she think that?” Spencer questions.

 

“The same reason you and mom did.” Melissa answers. “I had made it very clear from early on, that I loathed Mrs. DiLaurentis. And the fact that it was dad’s pills that killed her, that only made her assume that I was the one who killed her mom. She thought I had betrayed her. She became angry, and much more violent. She had become addicted to the game at that time. It led to her to try and frame you for the murder of Bethany Young, even though she knew that you didn’t do it. Because she wanted to hurt me.”

 

Spencer shakes her head in disbelief, “If you knew that Cece was Charles, then why didn’t you tell the cops! Why did you allow her to keep torturing me?”

 

“I didn’t want to hurt her!”

 

“So you were willing to allow her to hurt me?”

 

“They would’ve killed her. I wouldn’t have been able to live with myself if she would have died because of me.”

 

“What about Alex then?” Spencer then changes the conversation. “How long have you known about her and why didn’t you tell me?”

 

“I didn’t want you to know about her.” Melissa tells her younger sister. “From the first moment I met her, I knew there was something that I didn’t like about her. Now I know why.”

 

“If you had told me about her sooner, then maybe I could’ve prevented her from becoming A.D. I could’ve given her a family that she clearly wanted.”

 

“Are you joking? That girl is insane! She had this weird obsession with you, who do you think put that pint of blood in your purse. It wasn’t Charlotte, she was still in Rosewood, and it wasn’t me.”

 

The youngest Hastings cringes as she recalls the embarrassment and anxiety that she had experienced on that day. 

 

“She clearly hated you. Unlike Charlotte, I didn’t doubt that she would attempt to actually hurt you.” Melissa explains. “Which is why I tried to keep her away from you. For your safety. I even tried to keep her away from Charlotte, that’s why she never visited her at Welby.”

 

“So why did you tell Hanna that Charlotte had broken you and Wren up, when he was dating Alex at that time?” 

 

“The police were searching for anyone who could’ve been an accomplice, so she told me to cover my tracks. And that I did, I made it seem like I resented her.”

 

Spencer still had a few more questions to ask her older sister, but her phone went off before she could. They both glanced down at the flashing phone. It was Veronica.

 

“You should get that.” Melissa tells her younger sister, before returning her attention to her suitcase.

 

“But Melissa-”

 

“Please, Spencer.” Melissa cuts her off, as her eyes had began to water. “Don’t make talk about it again, I’ve finally moved on from what happened to her. Don’t put me through that again.”

 

**_____________**

 

Aria sat in her living room, staring at the blank television. She tried not to think about her, but she couldn’t help herself. It had been three days since she last saw Alex and she kept wondering if whether or not she should go back.

 

This would be a whole lot easier to deal with if she knew that Alex was okay. It was really irritating, the fact that she cared for that woman’s well being, despite all of the horrible things that she put her and her friends through.

 

“You’ve had that same expression for these past few days.” Ezra’s voice breaks her out of her trance. “And it seems like no matter what I do, I can’t seem to get you to smile. What’s the matter?”

 

Aria hasn’t been able to look at her husband in the eyes since she cheated on him. She feels to ashamed to do so. 

 

Aria shakes her head and immediately looks down. “It’s nothing. I’m just really tired.” she tries to sound as casual as she could. 

 

“Aria, you can’t even look at me when you say that.” Ezra begins to grow a bit annoyed by his wife’s strange behavior. “Just tell me what’s wrong, we can talk about it.”

 

“There’s nothing to talk about.” Aria replies, still refusing to look at him. It hurt her, the fact that she couldn’t tell him the reason she was acting like this. Regardless of everything she did love Ezra.

 

Does. 

 

She does love Ezra. At least, that’s what she keeps telling herself every time she remembers how good it felt to have Alex’s lips pressed against hers. 

 

“I’m fine.”

 

“Why do you keep lying to me?” Ezra questions her.

 

“Ezra, I’m not lying- I’m fine. Completely fine!” 

 

“Then why are you trembling like crazy?” he asks. “Why have you been acting so different? Aria I know that something’s up, so why won’t you tell me.”

 

Aria runs her hands through her hair, “Okay, Ezra. I already told you. I’m fine.” she says as she begins to raise her voice at him. “Just leave me alone, please.”

 

Ezra lets out a frustrated sigh, “If that’s what you want.” he says as he gets up from the couch. “Just a reminder Aria, we’re now married. And  _ this  _ is not how married couples are supposed to act. We’re supposed to help each other through things, not scare each other away.”

 

Aria feels as a few tears begin to stream down her face. “Ezra, please.” she pleads. “I need to be alone.”

 

Ezra nods and lets out a bitter laugh, before walking away.

 

Aria buries her face into her hands and silently sobs. She apologizes to Ezra in her head, she doesn’t want to hurt him. She doesn’t want to hurt anyone, yet here she is, doing exactly that.

 

Suddenly her phone begins to ring, and without looking at the caller I.D. she answers it. She doesn’t even bother to try and hide her sobs. 

 

As soon as the person on the other line notices that she’s crying, they ask her what’s wrong.

 

“C-Can I come see you?” she asks, desperately. “I don’t know what to do.”

* * *

 

**Sorry again, for any grammatical errors that there may be. I also wanted to say thank you for the kind comments and feedback that were left in the previous chapter.**


	4. Ending Page

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Spencer confronts Alex about Aria. Aria meets up with Alison for advice, and comes up with a decision regarding her future with Ezra

“What are you doing here?” Alex asks once she sees her twin sister walk into her room at Welby. “I don’t want to see you. I thought you had finally gotten the hint, sister.”

 

Spencer ignores her sister’s harsh tone and walks up towards her. “Are you still trying to ruin our lives? Was the past year not enough for you?” she asks, her tone full of rage. 

 

Alex tilts her head, she wasn’t comprehending what her sister was trying to tell her, “I hadn’t got a clue about what you’re blabbering off.” she crossed her arms.

 

“What did you do to Aria?” Spencer wastes no time to ask. Ever since she heard from Ezra that Aria had been acting out of the ordinary for the past week. He said that she spent most of her day, lost in her own thoughts.

 

Of course, Spencer didn’t tell him why she thought Aria was behaving the way she was. She wasn’t sure if her best friend wanted her husband to know that she had been visiting the infamous A.D. at Welby. 

 

After hanging up on Ezra, Spencer had grown furious. She had been so caught up trying to get answers from Melissa that it hadn’t completely hit her that her twin sister might have done something bad to her tiny friend.

 

That thought alone drove Spencer insane, that it was strong enough to drive her to come and confront Alex in an aggressive way.

 

She continues to stare down her younger sister, but Alex wasn’t looking back at her, she was looking at the puppet that was resting on her lap. 

 

“I asked you a question. Spencer demands.

 

Alex looks up at her twin sister, she didn’t like the way Spencer got so fired up over Aria. That, however, wasn’t what she was mainly concerned about. 

 

It was Aria, the one who she was worried about. The thought of her being the cause of the smaller woman’s pain, was enough to make her want to die. She wanted to see Aria again, she wanted to comfort her, and tell her how much she loves her. But Alex knew that something like that would never happen, and she resented Spencer for it, she resented her parents for it, and she resented herself for it as well.

 

Maybe if Peter Hastings had decided to keep both her and Spencer, then she might have had the chance to actually meet Aria and make her fall in love with her the right way. 

 

Maybe if Mary Drake hadn’t sent her off across the ocean for some cash, then maybe she could’ve gone off with some other family back in Rosewood. She could have had the chance to encounter the shorter brunette at some point.

 

Maybe if she had been the one who was born first, then maybe she would have had a much better life. 

 

“Did Aria say that  _ I  _ did something to her?” Alex asks, her eyes slowly looking away from Pigtunia, “Or is it just  _ you  _ jumping to conclusions as per usual,  _ sister _ ?”

 

Spencer glances down at the pig again, before returning her glares back to Alex. She still doesn’t know what’s with her twin’s attachment to that creepy old puppet. “The last time Aria came to visit you, she stormed out of your room in tears.” she tells her. “I think it’s pretty safe for me to jump to conclusions.”

 

“A-Aria was crying?” Alex felt her heart sink. Aria was crying. Aria was crying,  _ because of her. _ She brought pain upon the woman that she loves.

 

She didn’t mean to, she never means to. But it always seems to happen. It seems as if fate really was against her. 

 

“What did you do to her, Alex?” Spencer continues to question Alex. When she saw that Alex had turned her attention back to the puppet, she grabs her sister’s wrist a bit to harshly, forcing Alex to turn her attention back towards her. “Answer my question, Alex. What did you do to Aria?!”

 

Alex contains herself from tackling her twin sister to the ground, although she really wanted to at the moment. She refrained herself from doing so because she knew that Aria would be really upset, if she hurt her best friend. So instead, Alex gives her older sister a deadly glare. If looks could kill, Spencer would be dead within an instant in that moment.

 

“You’re a bit violent, aren’t you sister?” Alex taunts her with a wicked smile. “Violence does seem to run in our family, doesn’t it? Mary. Charlotte. Melissa.  _ You. Me. _ Guess we aren’t so different after all!”

 

“I am nothing like you.” Spencer hisses as she tightens her grips on Alex’s wrist.

 

Alex throws her head back in laughter, “Oh Spencer, you really aren’t that bright love.” she says. “Charlotte was right, Mona is the smart one.”

 

“What the hell are you talking about?” Spencer scowls.

 

“We have way more things in common than you think, sister.” Alex yanks her arm away from her twin’s tight grip. 

 

Spencer doesn’t quite understand what Alex is talking about, so she simply crosses her arms and allows for her twin sister to continue. 

 

“Aside from having the same face, obviously, we actually have quite a handful of things in common.” Alex proceeds as she begins to circle her older sibling. We both dated our lovely sister’s ex fiancee, Wren, that was fun wasn’t it. We can both say that we spent some time in a mental institution. We can both say that we were in love with Toby Cavanaugh at one point in our lives, we even both got the chance to kiss him. Isn’t that nice, sisters who share? Every mother’s dream.”

 

Alex lets out a small laugh before continuing, “Another thing that we have in common sis, is that we both seem to have a soft spot for a certain  _ little  _ friend of yours.”

 

Spencer gives her sister a puzzled look, “Aria?” she questions.

 

“She’s quite the beauty, ain’t she?” Alex feels a smile forming as she thinks about the shorter woman. “She sure does know how to get one’s heart racing, doesn’t she sister?”

 

Spencer feels all of the color drain from her face. Everything starts to make sense. Alex’s evident favoritism towards Aria. Alex’s odd attachment to that eerie puppet. Alex kidnapping Ezra on his wedding day. Alex being so willing to talk to Aria only. 

 

It wasn’t because the British woman was simply just very  _ fond  _ of Aria. No, it was much more than that. It  _ is  _ much more than that. 

 

Spencer’s eyes go wide in realization, “You’re in love with Aria.” she could barely bring herself to mutter the words out. She couldn’t believe it.

 

Actually, she didn’t  _ want  _ to believe it. She didn’t want to believe that a monster like A.D. was in love with her best friend. 

 

“It sure took you long enough to figure it out.”

 

“That’s insane.”

 

“It really isn’t.”

 

“You said that you wanted Toby.” Spencer reminds her.

 

“Yeah.  _ Wanted. _ As in, the past.” Alex states. “I only told you that I wanted him, because it was really pleasing to see that look on your face. I will admit though, at first I was interested in him, but I mean could you blame me? He loves us, oh so much. But of course, I couldn’t stop myself from later falling in love with Aria the moment that I met her.”

 

Alex smiles at the memory. Sure, Aria had been completely heartbroken on that night that she had first met her in person, but the moment that they shared was still sweet. “I don’t think I have ever seen anyone with more prettier eyes than her. And when she looked at me, with so much love within those eyes, it made me feel like I finally had a purpose in life. And that purpose was to be with her.”

 

Spencer shakes her head in disbelief, “You’re insane.” she tells her. “How could you be in love with Aria, when you’ve done nothing but put her and all of us through hell! Did you forget that you set her on fire?!”

 

“That wasn’t me.” Alex says. “That was all Archer’s and our lovely sister’s doing. They were convinced that Aria was covering for Ezra.”

 

“Melissa?”

 

“I don’t know if Aria told you, but Melissa was certain that Aria was involved with what happened to Charlotte, and she managed to persuade Archer to believing that too-

 

“Wait, so Archer knew about Melissa’s relationship with Charlotte? And he still worked with her, despite that they both were in love with Charlotte?” Spencer couldn’t help but ask.

 

“Archer was a good shield to hide behind from in case if we got caught.” Alex explains with a smirk. “I thought Charlotte loved him, according to Melissa, seems like she was only using him to find a quicker way out of this place. So obviously, I followed my sister’s footsteps and decided to use that fool as well.”

 

“Okay, so it was Archer and Melissa who almost burned Aria to death.” Spencer says, her eyes narrow as she locks eyes with Alex. “It still doesn’t change the fact that you made her life a misery, as well as ours. How dare you claim that you love her, when you’ve done nothing but make her suffer.”

 

“You don’t know how I feel.”

 

“What if Aria was the one who did it, then?” Spencer challenges, she still refused to believe that Alex was in love with  _ her  _ best friend. “What if she was the one who had killed Charlotte? What would happen to that so called love of yours?” 

 

Alex’s jaw tightens. It’s not like she hadn’t thought of it before, but she didn’t want to give Spencer any answer, because she knew she might find a way to twist her words. 

 

“She didn’t do it, and that’s what matters.” Alex answers.

 

“But what if she had done it?”

 

Alex rolls her eyes in annoyance, she didn’t have to answer her twin’s rhetorical questions. “Tell me something Spencer, what would happen to the love that you feel for Toby if one day you found out that he murdered Veronica? The woman who raised you? What would you have done?”

 

Spencer doesn’t even bother to think about that question, “I don’t have to answer your pointless questions.” she snaps.

 

“If that’s the case, then neither do I.” 

 

For a moment, they both do nothing but glare at each other in the silence. This entire situation was stressing Spencer out to the maxim. She didn’t want Alex to be in love with Aria, and the thought of Aria possibly returning those feelings for her evil twin, made her sick. Aria was too good for someone so wicked. She had to make sure that Alex knew that. She had to make sure that Alex knew that she could never be with Aria, not after everything that she put her and all of her friends through.

 

“She will never love you the way you want her to.” Spencer says bitterly. 

 

Alex acts as if Spencer’s words didn’t break her inside, because to be frank, Alex knew that Spencer’s words were true. Aria was way too in love with Ezra, she would never love her the way that she wants Aria to love her.

 

“Why do you care if she decides to love me or not?” Alex questions. “Aria’s love life really shouldn’t concern you,  _ you  _ have Toby after all.”

 

“What are you implying?”

 

“You tell me.”

 

“If you’re implying that I have feelings for Aria, then stop thinking.” Spencer speaks. “Our relationship isn’t like that.”

 

“I hope you’re telling the truth Spencer,” Alex tells her in a low voice. “Because you wouldn’t be able to stop me from going  _ really  _ insane. And trust me, you wouldn’t want me to take it out on you.”

 

**_____________**

 

“I can’t believe you two weren’t planning on telling us.” Alison says in disbelief as she hands Aria a glass of milk to get her to calm down a bit. This made Aria smile a bit, seems like ever Alison had become a mother, she had become a lot more like parental figure towards her friends. 

 

“And now you’re smiling?”

 

“I’m not a little kid, Ali.” Aria gestures towards the glass of milk, before taking a small sip of it.

 

“Hey, you don’t have to be a kid to enjoy a refreshing, glass of milk. It helps one relax.” Alison points out. “Plus, Emily told me to get rid of the milk before it expires.”

 

Aria removes the glass from her lips, “And when  _ exactly _ does this milk expire?”

 

“Tomorrow.” Alison replies casually, with a smile.

 

Aria’s nose scrunches and she puts the cup down on the counter, “You know what, I’m suddenly not so thirsty.”

 

Alison’s smile then drops, “Why were you crying, Aria?” she then asks. Alison had to admit, it was weird having these serious conversations with Aria alone. It seems like after everything that happened when they were younger, there had still been a bit of tension among the two of them. 

 

Same with her and Hanna, but that’s another story. Only Emily and Spencer seemed to be the ones who completely forgived her for her past. And not to mention that after the girls found out that Aria had been working with A.D, it really pissed Alison off. 

 

“What did she do to you?” Alison continues to ask.

 

“She’s making me question  _ some  _ things.” Aria then replies.

 

“What do you mean?”

 

“How did you do it Ali? Aria turns around to face her blonde friend. “How were you able to forgive Charlotte after everything that she put us through. After everything that she put you through?”

 

Alison is taken aback by her friend’s questions. She never really thought much about how her loving relationship, or her one-sided loving relationship, with Charlotte came to be. It just happened naturally. Because her heart wanted to forgive her cousin, who she thought was her sister at the time. 

 

She shrugs, “It takes time for your heart to heal Aria.” she tells her. “I think I was able to forgive Charlotte, because I thought she had found redemption, because my heart was ready to forgive her.” She turns to look at her friend. “Why do you ask?”

 

Aria stays silent. She wasn’t sure why she suddenly asked Alison such a question. Was she considering, maybe possibly, forgiving Alex? And if so, then why?

 

After everything that Alex had done to them, why was she even thinking about possibly forgiving her? 

 

“Could this possibly have anything to do with you visiting Alex?”

 

“Can you keep a secret for me?”

 

It felt like déjà vu, for Aria to ask such a question. Both girls thought back to when they were both thirteen or fourteen, when the four girls would always ask Ali to keep their secrets for them. How stressful did they used to think those times were, they weren’t prepared for what lied a head for them.

 

“We don’t keep secrets anymore.” Alison reminds her.

 

“I know, but just temporarily.” Aria pleads. “I really need to get this off my chest, but I don’t know who to go to. Please, Ali.”

 

Alison lets out a sigh in defeat, she had to admit, she really wanted to know what Aria had to say. “Fine, but just for a certain amount of time. I don’t want to keep any secrets from Emily.”

 

Aria nods. She suddenly freezes, she isn’t sure how to say what she was going to say. She had actually hoped that Alison would have said that she wouldn’t keep her secret, that way she didn’t have to tell her.

 

“Well.” Alison’s gives her a look, implying that she was ready to hear whatever Aria had to say. “What’s the secret?”

 

“The thing is-”

 

“Don’t beat around the bush Aria.” Alison interrupts her, as she brings her glass of water to her lips, for a sip.

 

“Alex kissed me.” Aria blurts, causing for Alison to almost choke on her water.

 

“She what?”

 

“And I may have kissed her back and sort of made out with her on her bed.” Aria quickly adds.

 

“You what?!”

 

“And I may have enjoyed it. Alot.” 

 

“Aria!” Alison exclaims.

 

“It’s not like I wanted to enjoy it!” Aria explains herself. “But I really did.”

 

“Why did she kiss you, though?”

 

Aria shrugs, “I honestly don't know.”

 

“Does Spencer know?”

 

“I-I couldn't tell her.”

 

“What about Ezra? Does he know that you chea- that you and Alex kissed, I mean.” The blonde woman questions.

 

“I can’t even look him in the eyes.” Aria admits, her voice was full of guilt. “I’m a horrible wife.”

 

“Did you feel anything?” Alison asks. “When you were kissing her. What was your brain thinking as it was all happening?”

 

“All I kept thinking about is how much I didn't want it to stop.” Aria confesses. It's not like she was proud of her actions on that day, but at the same time, she really doesn't regret them.

 

She’d hate to admit it, but she wouldn't mind having Alex's soft lips up against hers again. She also wouldn't mind feeling her touch again, she wouldn't mind having the British woman roam her hands around her body the way she had been doing so before they were interrupted.

 

As a matter of fact, Aria hasn't helped but wonder what would have happened between them, had they'd not been interrupted. How far would it had gone, before Aria realized what she was doing?

 

“Aria?” Alison snaps her out of her own thoughts, “Did you possibly imagine her as Spencer? Maybe that's why you allowed her to kiss you?”

 

“What?!” Aria was surprised by her friend's question.

 

“Honey, please.” Alison says with a smirk. “You're high school crush on Spencer was  _ so  _ obvious. I wasn't even with you girls during our junior year, and I could tell that you felt differently about Spencer compared to the way you felt about the other girls.”

 

Aria was shocked at the fact that Alison was still capable of knowing all of her secrets, even the ones that she never said out loud.

 

“I don't have feelings for Spencer-”

 

Alison raises an eyebrow in suspicion.

 

“-anymore.” Aria continues. “So I definitely did  _ not  _ imagine her as Spencer.”

 

“Then are you saying that you have an attraction towards Alex specifically or-”

 

“No!” Aria cuts her off. “I-I don't know. I just, really don't want to feel  _ that way  _ about someone who spent the past year stalking us!”

 

“Well..” Alison trails off as gives her friend an  _ eh  _ expression.

 

“What?”

 

“No offense Aria, but you  _ did  _ and  _ do  _ feel  _ that way  _ about Ezra, and he spent almost two years stalking you and the girls.” Alison mentions as nicely as she could.

 

Aria looks down. Alison did have a point. Truth be told, she easily had forgotten about Ezra's betrayal. 

 

“Okay you may be right-”

 

“I  _ am  _ right.” Alison corrects her.

 

“But Ezra never tortured me or you girls the way A or A.D. has. How could you even compare them?” Aria couldn't help but get a bit defensive.

 

“Hey, I’m just trying to make point here.” Alison tells her. “In a way, they both did use you. Ezra for his book and Alex for her dirty work.”

 

“Wow thanks, I feel  _ so _ much better now!” Aria says sarcastically as she rolls her eyes.

 

“Sorry.” the blonde woman apologizes.

 

Aria sighs, “It’s fine.” she says. “I guess you’re not technically wrong. How depressing is my love life.”

 

Alison suddenly turns to look at her short friend with wide eyes.

 

“What?” Aria questions her. What did she say that made her friend’s eyes almost pop out of her head, literally.

 

“You said, ‘ _ How depressing is my love life’.” _ Alison says. 

 

Aria nods slowly, “Yeah, I’m pretty sure I know what I said.” she replies. “I only did say it a few seconds ago.”

 

“So, does that mean that you consider Alex as a ‘love interest’?”

 

This time, it’s Aria’s eyes that go wide. “I didn’t say that.” she quickly defends herself.

 

“But you kinda did.”

 

“No, I didn’t.”

 

“You  _ implied  _ it.”

 

“It was a mistake.:

 

“But was it really?”

 

“Ali!” Aria exclaims, a bit frustrated. “You’re not helping me at all.”

 

Alison lets out a scoff as she crosses her arm, “Well you haven’t necessarily told me what you need help on.” she responds. “All you’ve talked about is Alex, how much you enjoyed kissing Alex, Ezra, Alex again, and then you implied that you might have or be developing feelings for Alex.”

 

Aria’s face drops, “What do I do about that, then?”

 

“About what?”

 

“About what I feel.” Aria explains. “I mean I know I love Ezra but lately I can’t stop thinking about her. It’s as if she’s haunting me.”

 

Alison gives Aria a compassionate look, her friend really does seem to be conflicted. “Tell me something Aria,” Alison begins. “Are you in love with Ezra?”

 

Aria nods, “Yes. I do love him-”

 

“You didn’t listen to my question.” Alison interjects. “I didn’t ask if you love Ezra, because believe me, I have no doubt that you do. I asked you, are you  _ in  _ love with him?”

 

Aria pauses to think. Is she in love with Ezra? Well she has to be, doesn’t she? Just three weeks ago, she was having the time of her life with him in France, so why wouldn’t she be in love with him still? 

 

“Yes.”

 

“It took you a while to answer that, you know.” Alison points out.

 

“I had to think about it for a moment.”

 

“You didn’t use to.”

 

She was right, before Aria used to be able to say that she was in love with Ezra Fitz without giving it a first thought, so why is it now that she has to think about it. It’s almost as if she had to remind herself that she did.

 

“Ali…”

 

“Do you want to know what I think?”

 

“What is it?”

 

“I think that you  _ do  _ love Ezra. You probably love him a lot, actually.” Alison speaks. “But I don’t think you’re  _ in  _ love with him. At least not anymore. I think you’re just used to being in love with him. Tell me, does kissing him feel the same way that it did six years ago?”

 

Aria didn’t even have to think about that. The kisses that she shares now with Ezra, don’t really compare to the kisses that she used to share with him during her last two years of high school. Maybe that’s why she didn’t want to stop kissing Alex that day, because when she was kissing her, it brought back that magical feeling, that Ezra really didn’t bring her anymore.

 

“It definitely does feels different than it used to.” Aria admits as she looks away. It really was hard to admit, it was also a bit scary to admit. She had never really imagined herself without Ezra by her side. 

 

“How did it feel like when you kissed Alex?” Alison then asks. 

 

Aria instantly knew, that her kiss with Alex, had been one of the best kisses that she’s had in a while actually. “I don’t know, all I know it that I really liked it.” Aria confesses quietly. “I was definitely nervous, I felt like my heart was about to explode because of how nervous I felt, having her so close. And the way she was looking at me, I mean it was Spencer’s face, but Spencer has never looked at me the way Alex was looking at me at the time. And the more I looked, I noticed that she and Spencer do have some physical differences. She doesn’t have a little mole on her cheek like Spencer does, her’s is on the side of her nose. I don’t know, it just felt weird.”

 

Alison smiles a bit, “Well I think you just answered your own question.” she says.

 

“How are you so okay with this?” Aria breathes out.

 

“Well, I’m  _ not.”  _ Alison tells her. “But it’s  _ your _ life Aria. I’m not the same ‘Mean Queen B’ who tried to control her friends lives.” Alison smiles as Aria leans in to give Alison a hug. “Besides, to be fair, I was the same way with Charlotte. I couldn’t help but adore her. Too bad that she didn’t feel the same way for me though.”

 

Aria quickly removes herself from Alison’s embrace. “I completely forgot!” she exclaims as she slaps her forehead. “Ali, you’ll never guess what I found out.”

 

Alison gives her friend a puzzled expression, “What is it?”

 

“Charlotte and Melissa were dating!”

 

Alison’s mouth drops, she couldn’t believe the words that had just come out of her friend’s mouth, “They were what?!”

 

“It’s a  _ long  _ story.” Aria tells her.

 

“Well, you’re  _ not  _ going anywhere until you tell it all.”

 

**_____________**

 

Aria didn’t return back home until the middle of the night. It wasn’t her fault, Alison had kept her until she finished telling her everything that Alex and Spencer told her. Around halfway through the story, Emily came home and was also curious about Melissa Hasting’s involvement in the whole A game, which forced Aria to start all over.

 

Not that she was complaining though, as she was about to walk through her door, she kind of wished that Alison and Emily had succeeded to convince her to spend the night. She really didn’t want to face Ezra, she didn’t know how to.

 

She took a deep breath and walked through the front door. The lights were turned off, Aria let out a sigh in relief. He was asleep. 

 

Before Aria could celebrate though, the whole room lit up, revealing Ezra who had been sitting down on the couch the entire time.

 

“Ezra.” Aria whispers.

 

“Where were you?” he asks, he was obviously concerned and that made Aria feel even worse.

 

“I was at Emily and Alison’s house.” she’s technically telling him the truth. “We spent the whole night talking, and time just got away from us.”

 

Ezra nods, he had no reason to not believe her. “Are you okay?”

 

Aria finally looks up at him, “I’m fine. Just tired.” she says.

 

“Did you find out?”

 

She gives him a puzzled expression, “Find out what?” she asks.

 

Ezra lets out a sigh, “God, Aria I’m so sorry.” he apologizes as he runs his hands through his hair. “I’m sorry for not being a good husband.”

 

“What are you talking about?” Aria continues to ask. 

 

“You found out, didn’t you?” He questions her. “That I kissed Nicole, is that why you’ve been acting the way you are?”

 

Aria’s eyes widen, she has to admit his confession did sting a little, but she can’t even be mad. She has no right to be when she did the same thing, “You did?”

 

“She’s not getting better.” Ezra tells her. “That day that I said I was flying out to visit my mom, I got a call from her dad. He said she was having an anxiety attack, and that she wouldn’t stop screaming. So I rushed over there as fast as I could. A-And when I saw her, I couldn’t stop myself from kissing her. God, Aria I really am sorry.”

 

Aria quickly shakes her head, “Don’t be.” she whispers. “Ezra I have a confession to make, I did the same thing.”

 

“You kissed Nicole too?”

 

“What?” Aria almost laughed, but she stopped herself. It wasn’t the time. “No!”

 

“Okay good.” he says. “That would’ve been extremely awkward.”

 

“Ezra,” Aria tries to get his attention, “I haven’t really been going to an all female gym with Spencer.”

 

Ezra nods, “Yeah I kind of already knew that.”

 

“I’ve been visiting Alex. Alex Drake.”

 

“That I didn’t know.”

 

“And I kissed her.”

 

“Oh.” Ezra’s eyes widen in shock. “Wow.” 

 

They both stay silent, not knowing what else to say. Some married couple they are.

 

“Ezra.” Aria whispers, finally breaking the silence, she also seems to finally be able to lock eyes with him for the first time in days. “Do you think that this is a sign?”

 

“A sign?” he questions.

 

“A sign that maybe we’re not right for each other?” she asks. “Maybe we’re really not in love with each other anymore.”

 

“I don’t know anything about signs, Aria.” he sighs. “But I do know that I do love you, Aria.”

 

“I love you too.” she tells him. “But we have to really ask ourselves this Ezra, are we really  _ in  _ love or do we just love each other?” 

 

“I-”

 

“How did it feel like?” Aria tries Alison’s therapy on him. “When you kissed Nicole?”

 

“I don’t think that’s appropriate to answer in front of my wife.” Ezra’s voice trails off. 

 

“Did it feel better than any kiss that we’ve shared for a while, now?”

 

“Aria-” it was evident that Ezra really didn’t want to answer that question, and Aria knew why. She was also hesitant to answer any of Alison’s questions. “I’m sorry.”

 

“You’re apologizing.” Aria points out. “That means I’m right.” She gives him a small smile, what a mess we they. They truly were.

 

“I really am sorry.” he continues to apologize. “I’m a horrible husband.”

 

Aria giggles a bit, a tear streams down her face. “It’s fine, I’m a horrible wife.” she says. “You really do love her still, don’t you?”

 

“I haven’t stopped.” he admits with a look full of guilt. “I’m so sorry. You deserve so much better.”

 

“Then what are you still doing here?” Aria asks him, there were tears threatening to escape her eyes. She wasn’t crying because Ezra didn’t love her the way he loved Nicole, she was crying because she knew that this was the official ending page of an important chapter in her life.

 

At one point, she wouldn’t have been able to imagine her life without Ezra, but as time has gone by, Aria had realized that it may be possible. “Go and find your happiness.”

 

“What about yours?” he obviously didn’t want to leave without making sure that Aria was okay.

 

Alex then comes into Aria’s mind, and she gives him a small smile, “I guess I still have to search for mine.”

 

* * *

**Sorry for the grammatical errors.**


	5. Confessions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Aria finally builds up the nerve to see Alex again, how will it go?

They always say that when you love someone, you’re bound to put their happiness over your own. Even if it hurts.

Maybe that’s why Aria started crying as soon as she left Ezra’s place that night. She may not necessarily be  _ in  _ love with, but he was a big part of her life. He was her first love, her first time. It would be odd if she hadn’t cried. 

The thought of no longer being with him, did hurt. But she knew that this was for the best. Her and Ezra’s relationship wasn’t and hasn’t been the same as before. She still does love him, but things just weren’t the same between them. Maybe it was best for them to let each other go, she didn’t want to grow and resent the man that she so deeply cares about.

Ezra was going to be with Nicole and Aria, well she didn’t really know what her next chapter was. Or with who it would be. She had never pictured herself with anybody else but Ezra, and now that she will be without him, she didn’t know what to do. 

Where will she go now?

She was walking alone in the middle of the night, she’s not sure why she hadn’t just stayed at Ezra’s or taken her car, it was a much better idea, it seemed like it was about to rain soon. 

Her predictions were proven correct when she heard thunder crash, but she didn’t even flinch, she was too occupied with her thoughts to even care at the moment. She comes across their town’s park, and takes a seat in one of the benches, not paying much attention to the possible danger that she could be in.

No, there hardly was any danger in Rosewood. The only danger in this town revolved around A, Mona and Charlotte, and A.D, Alex. 

Aria was scared. She was afraid of how her insides stirred every time she thought of Alex. Was it because she was afraid of her or was it something else?

Is she even afraid of her? 

Aria closes her eyes, and suddenly she finds herself back in every dangerous situation that she was put in because of A and because of A’s sister. Every nightmare that was caused because of them.

A had made their lives a living hell, and A.D. continued her legacy. She knows that she should be angry, that she should hate her for everything that A.D. put her and friends through. And she is, sometimes, but then she the woman’s face appears in her head. She looks so vulnerable in her hospital gown, and it’s not A.D. who she sees.

She sees a pair of brown eyes that make her completely melt inside. Aria swears she has never seen someone look at her the way the brunette has. Maybe Ezra did at one point, but he hadn’t in a long time. There was something about Alex, that just made her want to hold her. She wanted to run her hands through her long, curly hair. 

Sure, the woman had her best friend’s face, but when Aria looked at her, she didn’t see Spencer and she didn’t see the faceless monster, A.D. She saw Alex. 

Just Alex.

Soon, the short haired woman felt raindrops crashing onto her head, and eventually it had started to rain. But Aria made no effort to move. She was also pretty sure that some insect had already bitten her on her right hand, but she continued to sit absolutely still.

What was it about Alex? 

What was it about that woman that made Aria like  _ this?  _

Why was she the only thing that Aria was able to think about for the past few days? And why was it that her heart rate would increase just by thinking about her? Why was Aria constantly replaying the intimate moment that they had shared, in her head? Why was she so tempted to feel Alex’s lips against hers again?

When had Alex suddenly become this important to Aria? And why wasn’t she fighting it?

Before Aria could process another thought, she had come to the realization that she was completely soaked due to the heavy rain. She immediately stands up, and dashes back towards the Brew. 

She wasn’t going back to Ezra’s upstairs apartment though, instead she grabbed her keys and went inside her car. 

She starts the car and just drives. She wasn’t sure where she was going, but she continues to drive. She had to find a place to stay at.

 

**_____________**

 

She must be insane. No, she was insane. 

 

How else could she explain why she was currently standing in front of Alex Drake’s room at Welby State Psychiatric Hospital, the next morning. 

 

She had spend the night at her parents house, she had to sneak in of course, she really didn’t want her mom or dad questioning why she wasn’t with her husband. She also left at dawn, in order to avoid confronting them.

 

In a way, it was kind of humorous, the fact that she could still sneak around her parents without getting caught. 

 

But Aria wasn’t laughing at the moment, she was freaking out. Why had she come to visit her so soon? She still hasn’t completely wrapped her head around everything that had just happened. 

 

Nonetheless, despite how anxious she was feeling, she still managed to slowly open the door.

 

She let out a sigh of relief when she realizes that Alex appeared to still be sleeping. Maybe coming early in the morning wasn’t entirely a bad idea. 

 

She quietly walks towards the chair that was located on Alex’s left. She sits down and tries to think of a way to explain her presence to the sleeping woman.

 

What was she going to tell her? 

 

“She was having trouble sleeping last night so we had to give her some sleeping pills.” the nurse from behind says. “It should be wearing off soon. Let me know if you need anything.”

 

Aria turns around and gives the nurse a small smile, “Thank you.” she says as the nurse silently exits the room. Aria then turns her attention back towards the sleeping woman and sighs.

 

She isn’t able to control what she feels as she watches Alex slumber. She looks so peaceful, she wouldn’t have believed that this exact same person was the infamous A.D. She notices that she’s holding onto Pigtunia as she sleeps, this brought a small smile to her face. Aria then reluctantly brings her hands up to her face and brushes the hairs off, she really does look so soothing.

 

Why must everything be so complicated? 

 

Had they been in any other circumstances then maybe everything would’ve been so much more easier. Maybe she wouldn’t have to worry about what her friends would think. And worst of all, what would her parents think?

 

How would she able to explain what she feels to the people that she cares about, when she can’t even explain it to herself? 

 

Besides, it’s not like Alex feels the same way towards her, right? Yeah, they did share an intense moment together during Aria’s last visit, but that doesn’t necessarily mean anything, does it?

 

And even if Alex did feel something for Aria, that didn’t mean that things would work out between them. Things could go horribly wrong, no, things  _ will _ go horribly wrong. 

 

Most importantly, Aria isn’t sure if she is fully capable of forgiving Alex after everything she put her and her friends through. It’s that one thing, that Aria doesn’t think that she’ll be able to do.

 

Forgive.

 

It’s all she can think about. How can she get herself to forgive Alex? 

 

She can’t. That’s the problem. She doesn’t believe that she’s capable of doing such a thing. Not after everything that has happened. Not after all the suffering that A.D. caused her and the people she cares about.

 

She almost killed her best friend. She almost killed the man that she cares about with all of her heart. She basically destroyed Hanna’s fashion career. She violated Emily and Alison in such a horrible way. She’s the reason why Aria’s PTSD returned.

 

She can’t do this. She can’t forgive her. Despite what she may be feeling towards the woman, she can’t bring herself to do it. 

 

Aria quietly stands up from the chair.

 

This was a mistake. She shouldn’t have come to see Alex, not after what happened last time. Maybe it would be best if she just left and never came to see her again. Maybe that’s what would be best for both of them.

 

Aria begins to head towards the door. She doesn’t know what she was thinking. How could she have possibly believed that her and Alex could ever be something?

 

“I’m really not dreaming.” The sound of her weary voice brings Aria to a halt. “You really did come back.”

 

Aria slowly turns back around. She finds Alex laying on her side, she was sleepily gazing at her. “But it seems like you were about to bail on seeing me.” the British woman continues. “Right?”

 

“Good Morning.” Aria decides to greet her in a whisper, instead of answering her question. She felt nauseous as she watched Alex sit up, the brunette’s eyes not once leaving hers.

 

A small smile appears on Alex’s face, “Yes. It is a good morning.” she doesn’t acknowledge the fact that the short brunette had ignored what she had previously asked. “I woke up with an angel in my room, how much better can it get?”

 

Aria tries not to pay attention to the rush of blood that she felt after what Alex had said. “It seems like you’re still dreaming.” she replies. “There’s no angel here, it’s just me.”

 

“You’ve clearly never looked in the mirror, then.”

 

Again, Aria couldn’t help the warm feeling that she felt. Why was Alex making this so difficult for her? “What are you doing?” she calmly questions her.

 

Alex shrugs, “I’m just having a chat with you.” she pats the bed. “Are you just going to awkwardly stand there or are you going to sit down?”

 

The short haired woman glances at the bed. There’s no way she was sitting that close to Alex, not after what happened last time. She didn’t think it would be the most comfortable position to be in. 

 

She slowly walks back to the chair that she had previously been seated on, and sits. 

 

Alex smirks as she turns her body position towards Aria, that way she could talk face to face with her. “Seems like you don’t want to be close to me?” she quirks an eyebrow. “Why is that?”

 

“I just think it’s more comfortable this way.” 

 

“For you or for me?”

 

“For both of us.”

 

“Alright.” Alex nods. Her eyes wander around Aria’s face, she seemed exhausted, the bags under her eyes were a big giveaway. Despite that, in Alex’s eyes, she was still breath takingly beautiful. 

 

That led for Alex to wonder what or who could've caused Aria such exhaustion, she didn’t like to see her this way. 

 

The British woman then notices that Aria was staring at her so intensely, she began to think that she had dozed off. 

 

“Did you come here to tell stare at me or to tell me something?” she interrupts the shorter brunette’s train of thought.

 

Aria didn’t know what to say, what was she supposed to tell her? That she came to see her because she may possibly be feeling a certain type of way, about her? Does that even make sense? 

 

“I-I’m not sure what to talk about.” Aria somewhat tells her the truth. She shifts uncomfortably in her chair, the wooden seat isn’t so pleasant to sit on. 

 

Alex notices Aria’s discomfort due to the chair and reaches for her wrist and pulls her up. 

 

“What are you doing?” Aria immediately pulls away, defensively. 

 

This causes Alex to roll her eyes, what did she think she was doing? “You’re clearly uncomfortable sitting in that cacky chair. Come sit on the bed.” she pulls Aria again, a bit harder this time, which results in Aria falling forward.

 

Alex grabs her by the waist and Aria holds onto Alex’s shoulders, in order to prevent from hitting each other on the face.

 

Aria lets out a sigh in relief, once she realizes that she didn’t end up hurting herself. However, that sense of relief soon vanishes when she hears Alex gulp, causing her to become aware of what position they were in.

 

Alex has to admit, she wasn’t intending on this to happen when she tried to pull Aria to sit on the bed next to her, but now, she’s kind of glad that it is happening. Her hands were still grasping onto Aria’s waist, if she wanted to, she could easily pull Aria closer to her. 

 

Yes, she wants to. But she doesn’t want to ruin the moment. She doesn’t want Aria to walk out again, and to not return for days, that is if she even decides to return to see her this time. 

 

Before things could get any further though, Aria jumps back and sits down right besides Alex. A triumphant smile forms on Alex’s lips, “See? Now isn’t that more comfy?”

 

Aria had to admit, she was surprised with herself. After what happened last time, she wasn’t so sure if she would’ve been able to resist. 

 

“So,” Alex begins once she’s realized that Aria wasn’t going to be the one who started the conversation. “Are you going to tell me what’s got you looking so bog eyed or not?”   
  


Aria gives her a puzzled look, causing Alex to rephrase. “You look exhausted. Why?”

 

“Oh, that.” the short haired woman lets out a small laugh. “I just didn’t have much time to sleep-”

 

“Howcome?” the older woman cuts her off. She knew Aria wasn’t going to give her the complete truth, and maybe she’s justified for not wanting to do so, but that didn’t put an end to Alex’s concern and curiosity. 

 

“I just- I was thinking.”

 

“About?”

 

Aria hesitates to answer. She isn’t really so certain that she wants to admit to Alex that she was one of the people that she had been thinking about. “I can’t say.”

 

Alex nods. “Okay.” she tells her. She knew Aria wasn’t so comfortable talking to her, and she didn’t want to force her to tell her something that she didn’t want to. “Can you say why you’re here? Not that I don’t enjoy your presence, love, but why? I didn’t think you would want to see me again.”

 

“I-” Aria sighs. She really should have sorted out her thoughts and feelings before coming to see Alex. But she couldn’t help herself from coming, she knew that deep down she really wanted to see her.  “I don’t think I can say either.”

 

“You really are a lousy talker.” Alex says, with a hint of disappointment in her voice. “Can’t you give a more detailed response?”

 

“I just haven’t figured it out.”

 

“Figured out what?”

 

“What I feel.”

 

“About?”

 

“You.”

 

Aria could’ve sworn that Alex’s eyes almost popped out of her head after hearing what she had previously said. “About me?” she questions and Aria nods in response. “What’s there to figure out? You either like me or dislike me, it’s really not-”

 

“I should hate you.” Aria interrupts. She can feel herself beginning to tremble. “It’s the logical thing to feel towards someone who’s put me through so much. I did hate you, but now I’m not so sure if I do.”

 

“Aria-”

 

“I grew to become afraid of living because of you. You manipulated me, you forced me to harm the people that I love the most, you kidnapped and almost killed my best friend and husband. You made my life so difficult and so stressful, that I couldn’t breathe sometimes. I really should hate you.”

 

Alex avoids looking Aria in the eye, her words stung. Yes, she did know that she had caused great harm on the girls, it was her intention to do so. She never intended to end up falling in love with one of the girls though. Because of that, she did try to go easier on Aria, she tried to actually talk to her and work with her, that’s how badly she craved her attention.

 

“Tell me what did we do to deserve it? Couldn’t you have waited until the police caught Charlotte’s actual killer, before you started inflicting pain on people who had nothing to do with it?” Aria’s eyes begin to cloud, she really wasn’t holding back her emotions.

 

“I thought you girls did though.” Alex quietly replies. “You can’t honestly blame me for thinking that you all did, I knew Charlotte wasn’t well, but I didn’t care. I finally had someone who loved me, I finally had a family. Before I wouldn’t have ever thought about intentionally causing harm to other people, but- but then when I heard that she was murdered, I was lost it. I was outraged. I didn’t even know what had happened to her, all I remember was Melissa calling Wren and I in tears, telling us that someone had killed Charlotte! I couldn’t stand the pain, I had to avenge my sister’s death. Whoever had done this to her, had to suffer.”

 

Aria shakes her head, “I understand that you were hurting, but you didn’t have to lash out on people who you knew nothing about.”

 

“I couldn’t just sit around and do nothing.” she says. “You know, when I first introduced myself to you girls, I wasn’t sure if I should refer as myself a -A like Charlotte or with my real identity. I knew nothing about you girls, so that’s why in the beginning it seemed so forced. It took me a while to study up on all of you. I spent nights without sleep trying to get into each of your brains, just so I could find out who killed my sister. I just had to do something to the killer.”

 

“Then why did you come back a year later?” Aria asks. “Why did you kidnap Spencer and Ezra? Why did you start the game again?”

 

“Jealousy. Resentment. Hatred.” Alex doesn’t hide the truth, everyone knows how she feels about her twin sister. “I couldn’t stand the fact that she was born lucky while I wasn’t. I wasn’t starting the game again, I just wanted her life. I wanted to know how it felt like to be loved by so many people. As pathetic as it sounds, that’s all I’ve ever craved, love.”

 

“You didn’t have to do that. Spencer did nothing wrong to you and you know that!” Aria exclaims. “If Spencer had known about you, she would’ve searched for you, she would’ve accepted you as her sister, and would have convinced her family and us to accept you too. You can’t honestly blame her for something that was out of her control. You can’t blame her for your misery when she didn’t know of your existence up until a month ago.!”

 

“I can’t help it.” Alex confesses. “I’m not stupid, I know that it was something beyond Spencer’s control, but I can’t help but blame it on her. Then I begin to think about how she had everything, including our biological mother’s love, and my envy only grows stronger. It made me want to hurt her.”

 

Aria couldn’t contain her tears, “You really are a horrible person.”

 

Alex sighs, “I’m sorry I can’t help it. I can’t help thinking the way I do.”

 

“But- what I want to know is why don’t I hate you? Why can’t I force myself to hate you?” Aria wonders out loud as more tears begin to escape from her eyes. “You deserve my hatred, but that’s not at all what I feel towards you.”

 

Alex reaches out and gently wipes Aria’s tears away, she can’t stand to see her cry. “Please don’t cry.” she whispers as she begins to caress her soft skin. “Please don’t cry because of me.”

 

Aria closes her eyes, as soon as she feels Alex’s soft hand on her face. “Please stop.” she pleads, causing more tears to stream down her face.

 

“What do you mean?”

 

“Please don’t act so lovingly towards me.” Aria tells her, her voice sounds desperate. “It does nothing but confuse me even more.”

 

“Confuse you?”

 

“I don’t know how I’m supposed to feel about you.”

 

Alex finally seems to understand what Aria has been trying to say. “Well, what do you know?”

 

“I don’t know anything!” Aria exclaims. It was true, the short haired woman was still in conflict with her emotions. She wasn’t sure what to feel, all she knew was that there was definitely a connection that she felt towards the taller brunette that she couldn’t deny. It was driving her insane.

 

“Can I tell you what I know?” 

 

“What?”

 

“You’re probably one of the most slowest people that I’ve ever met.” Alex confesses. “But you’re also the most loveliest person that I’ve ever met. I can feel my heart melt every time I see your face.”

 

Aria gives her a puzzled look, “W-What are you talking about?” she stammers. 

 

“You may not be sure of what you feel about me.” Alex begins, her tone was dead serious. “But I am sure about what I feel about you Aria. There was always something different about you, something that made you stand out to me, compared to the other girls. You’re so small, yet you have such a big heart. That’s the first thing I noticed about you, you’re very passionate about the people you care about. You’ve also got the world’s most gorgeous eyes, that I was left in awe the first time I had the chance to look into them.”

 

The American woman was at loss for words, she didn’t know what to say or how to even react to what the older woman was saying. She started to grow anxious, as she waited for her to go on.

 

“You’re like a light.” Alex then continues. “A light that’s too bright for someone like me. I knew that it was hopeless, but I couldn’t help but fall in love with you.”

 

Aria felt a flush rush to her face as her eyes went wide. “You what?” she asks in a small voice. “B-But how?”

 

Alex brings one of her hands up and brushes some of the brunette’s hair, behind her ear. “Just look at yourself. How could I not fall in love with you?”

 

“You love me?” Aria feels her mouth go dry, she wasn’t aware of the taller brunette’s feelings, she didn’t know if she could trust her. 

 

“I know it might be difficult to believe. I’ve deceived you before Aria, I’ll admit. I’ve hurt you and caused you immense pain and suffering, And if I could go back in time to fix everything, I would. I should’ve never tried to take your husband away from you, I took my anger and jealousy too far. Being in here for the last couple of days has made me realized, that I don’t care if you’re with some horrendous man, if you’re happy with him, then I’m happy. I’ve come to accept that you can never be able to love me the way I love you, and that’s fine, all I want is to be near you. Even if it’s not romantically, I just want to have you next to me. I want to make up for all of the harm I’ve caused you, I want you and I to finally be at peace with ourselves.”

 

Aria bites her lip, she hadn’t expected for such a confession to come out of Alex’s mouth. She had to be honest with herself though, the English Woman’s disclosure of her feelings, might have broughten a hint of joy to her. She wasn’t the only one feeling things.

 

Not that this made their situation any easier, but it brought a warm feeling to her heart. This made Aria wonder of the possibility of the two of them actually being able to move past this whole mess.

 

She knew that she had some more thinking to do, she should first figure out if she was willing to forgive the older woman. Also most importantly, was Alex capable of letting go of all of her resentments and hatred. 

 

Maybe this is something that could work out if both women were willing to cooperate.

 

“Ezra and I are separating.” Aria then blurts out of nowhere, taking Alex by surprise. 

 

“You’re what?” she questions, Alex really didn’t see this coming. As far as she knew, Aria was still under Ezra’s spell. A spell that no one could seem to free her from. “Why?”

 

Aria shrugs, “We’ve come to the conclusion that we just aren’t meant for each other.” she replies, as she looks down for a moment. “We love each other, we do, but as it turns out, we’re not  _ in  _ love with each other.”

 

“Are you okay?” Despite the fact that Alex has attempted to tear Aria and Ezra a part before for her own selfish reasons, that didn’t mean she still didn’t feel bad for the smaller brunette, who clearly wasn’t over her former lover.

 

Aria quickly nods, “I am. I did cry a lot the night before, but I’ve come to realize that I wasn’t crying because I’m still in love with Ezra, I was crying because a major chapter of my life has come to an end. And I’m not sure if I’m quite ready for the new one just yet.”

 

Alex doesn’t say anything and just gives Aria a sympathetic look. She really hopes that the younger woman is actually okay and not just putting up an act. What she doesn’t understand is why she was telling her this? Was she trying to to change the subject after what Alex had just told her?

 

“Sorry if it was such a random thing to mention after what you just confessed to me.” Aria quickly says, as if she had read her mind. “But I wanted you to know.”

 

Alex raises an eyebrow in suspicion, “Why?” 

 

Aria locks eyes with Alex’s dark brown ones, she feels as if her heart was about to explode. How is it possible that someone like her could cause such a reaction? “I don’t know.” Aria finds herself mesmerized, she’s not thinking straight at the moment.

 

“Maybe I just wanted to get it off my chest.” Aria wonders out loud, before allowing her eyes to wander down to Alex’s lips for a moment. “Or maybe I just wanted you to know in case if you thought about kissing me again.”

 

Alex shivers as those final words leave Aria’s soft, and very tempting lips. “Y-You what?” she felt that her palms were beginning to get sweaty. Did she hear correctly? Or was she imagining things again?

 

Aria scoots a bit closer to Alex, causing their knees to touch. She brings her fingers up and presses them against the British woman’s lips. “What is it about your lips that have made me question everything?” she asks her. Alex closes her eyes as she feels the shorter woman’s breath, hit her face, she didn’t know what she was doing, but she wasn’t going to even think about stopping her. “Why was our kiss, the only thing that I was able to think about for these past few days?”

 

Alex then grabs Aria’s hand, forcing her to look back up at her eyes. “What are you doing?” Alex questions her, if she didn’t stop talking to her like that, then there was no way that Alex would be able to control herself.

 

“That’s what I’d like to know too.” Aria says, glancing back down at Alex’s lips, “What are  _ you  _ doing to  _ me? _ ” she grabs the taller woman’s hands and places it on her chest, “Why are you making my heart beat like this? Why?” 

 

Alex couldn’t contain herself anymore, she leans forward and cups Aria’s face in her hands, and gently caresses it with her thumb. “If you don’t stop now, I won’t be able to stop myself from kissing you again.” she tells her.

 

“Then don’t.” Aria whispers, before lunging forward to pull Alex’s face towards hers, giving her a gentle kiss. She couldn’t stop herself from doing so, having their faces so close to each other was driving her insane, she wanted to feel her lips again. She wanted to feel all of those emotions that she felt the first time she kissed her.

 

It didn’t take long for Alex to quickly respond to the kiss, she wraps her arms around Aria, pulling her closer. Their gentle kiss, soon turned into a passionate one, as Aria found her way to sit on the woman’s lap, wanting to be as close as she could be to her. 

 

Aria loved the wave of emotions that were circling inside of her, she loved how great it felt to be inside of the woman’s embrace, and most of all she loved how her lips felt like pressed against hers. 

 

As cliche as it may sound, it felt magical, too beautiful, ethereal, literally any positive emotion that could be named, was exactly what Aria was feeling at that moment. 

 

As for Alex, ever since she shared her first kiss with her she knew that there was something different about Aria. Words could not describe how much happiness it brought her when she kissed her. It felt so much better than any of Wren’s or Toby’s kisses did. In a way, here with Aria Alex felt alive, more alive than she had ever been.

 

Eventually, in desperate need of air, Aria pulls away, but she doesn’t remove herself from her sitting position on Alex’s lap. Instead, she just gently stokes her face, as she admires the Brit’s beauty. She refused to open her mouth, in fear of ruining the moment.

 

“You kissed me. Why?” Alex asks in shock, her head was still spinning in circles. “And please don’t tell me that you don’t know.”

 

“I-”

 

“You what?!” the sound of an intruding voice caused Aria to jump off from Alex’s lap, she felt herself go numb when she saw who that intruder was. 

 

“Spencer-”

 

**_____________**

 

“Out of all the people that you could’ve kissed, why her?” Spencer and Aria had taken their argument outside to the parking lot. 

 

Aria couldn’t help but feel a pang of guilt as she was dragged out by Spencer, she didn’t want to leave Alex hanging. But maybe it was for the best that she got dragged away, it would give her some time to actually sort out her feelings.

 

“Seriously, none of us thought you and Ezra were going to last, but come on, you couldn’t have picked anyone else but my evil twin sister who tried to kill me!”

 

“Spencer I-”

 

“I didn’t even know you were into girls either.” Spencer interrupts her again, she looks at Aria with sad eyes. “Why didn’t you tell me about that?”

 

“It wasn’t really something that I was certain about.” Aria admits with a shrug. 

 

“What about Ezra? Does he know what you’ve been up to?”

 

Aria lets out a small laugh, “Turns out he was doing the same, but with Nicole?”

 

“Wait, so Ezra cheated on you? Is this some sort of revenge that you’re doing or-”

 

“No, no.” Aria immediately corrects her friend’s false assumptions. “It’s more than that actually. At least I think it is.”

 

“What do you mean?”

 

“I don’t know! I don’t know!” Aria exclaims, clearly frustrated with everything that was going on. “I don’t know how you two expect me to answer when I genuinely don’t know what my feelings are.”

 

“Feelings?” Spencer quirks an eyebrow, “You can’t be possibly implying that you may have feelings for-”

 

“I’m not saying that I do.”

 

“But you’re not saying that you don’t either.”

 

Aria closes her eyes and lets out a sigh in defeat, “I’m really sorry Spence.” she says. “I didn’t want this to happen.”

 

“How could you possibly have feelings for her?” Spencer asks, clearly petrified by her smaller friend’s confession. “Are you forgetting who she is Aria? She’s A.D. for god’s sake!”

 

“You think I don’t know that? Aria replies in an agitated tone. “Why do you think this is so hard for me? It’s been eating me up inside for the past few days, because I don’t know how to describe these feelings that I feel. Don’t you think this is hard enough on me too?”

 

“This isn’t going to end well and you know that.”

 

“How do we know that, Spencer?”

 

“She’s sick Aria.” Spencer reminds her friend. “I would never be able to forgive myself if she did something to you.”

 

“We can help her get better.” Aria suggests. “Isn’t that what you wanted?”

 

“She’s not willing to get better. She’s been refusing the treatment for a reason, you know.”

 

“Maybe I can convince her to get treated, and then maybe you could use this opportunity to get close to your sister. Something’s telling me that this could turn out just fine.”

 

Spencer rolls her eyes, “And how are you planning to convince her to do that?”

 

“She told me that she loves me, that she wants to see me happy.” Aria tells her friend. Repeating these words out loud felt strange, did she really believe that what Alex had told her? “If she really means that, then she’ll do it.”

 

Spencer was taken aback, she couldn’t believe that Alex actually had the guts to tell Aria what she supposedly felt, after all. “Do you believe that, though?”

 

Aria shrugs, “Like I said, I don’t know anything about that right now. But it could be worth a shot.”

 

“You shouldn’t have to worry if whether she gets better or not, she’s my responsibility not yours.” Spencer says as she crossed her arms. 

 

“I want to help her.” 

 

“This could be too risky.” Spencer thinks out loud. “We don’t know what she’s fully capable of, what if the treatment doesn’t work, what if she doesn’t get better just like Charlotte didn’t?”

 

“Charlotte wasn’t treated by a real doctor. She was treated by Dunhill.” Aria points out. “Alex can be treated by a real doctor, we can help her get better.”

 

“Alright I have to admit, I am kind of touched at how passionate you are about this.” Spencer admits. “But also really weirded out by this. I don’t know Aria, let me talk to her doctor first and see what I can do. This doesn’t mean that I suddenly approve of this situation by the way.”

 

As Spencer was about to head towards the front the door, she couldn’t help but take notice of a familiar brunette walking through the doors of Welby State Psychiatric Hospital.

 

“Is that your sister?” Aria asks from behind her shoulder.

 

“I think it is.” she replies, surprised by the sudden appearance of her older sister, Melissa. 

 

What was she doing here?

* * *

 

**Please excuse the grammatical errors.**


	6. A Second Chance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alex is offered a second chance? Will she allow herself to take it? Or will she forever be trapped by her hatred and resentment?

“What a surprise this is. I haven’t seen you in weeks, almost like you forgot I existed!” Alex exclaims in mock joy as she crossed her arms. “But then again, you hardly ever acted like I existed anyways.” 

 

Melissa Hastings stared at the younger woman with a blank expression, almost as if she were too preoccupied with her own thoughts to pay any mind to the British woman. “Are you out of your damn mind?.” she breathes out. 

 

“Seems like it runs in the bloodline.” Alex replies with a sneer. She turns to sit down on her bed, where she had previously been sitting with Aria, before her annoying twin sister had interrupted them and completely overreacted. 

 

Well, technically they were doing a lot more than just sitting, but Spencer didn’t have to be so dramatic. It’s not like she had actually caught them while they were having a moment. 

 

“You know just because you got caught in the act, doesn’t mean you have to drag me down with you.” Her older sister was obviously freaking out. Their beloved sister must of confronted Melissa about her shady past, and it was clear that the eldest Hastings daughter wasn’t too pleased because of that.

 

“I hadn’t got a clue what you’re blabbering about, sis.” Alex played dumb, giving her sister an innocent look. “You mind being a bit clearer?”

 

If looks could kill, Alex would be dead within a heartbeat. Melissa was literally staring daggers directly at her. “You told them what I did-”

 

“Correction. I told  _ Aria _ what  _ we  _ did.” the Brit corrects her.

 

“We had a deal.” Melissa reminds her. “As soon as we figured out who the murderer was, we were to get rid of them and end the game. You were supposed to tell Wren to get rid of her, not to recruit her for your own agenda!”

 

“Killing Mona was a nice plan,” Alex admits with a shrug. “But keeping her alive and taking advantage of her state, was much brilliant.”

 

“For you. But not for Wren and I.” The older brunette tells her, the frustration was evident in her tone. “Not only did you let her see his face, but you made her disguise herself as me! What if that nosey little bitch had figured it all out and turned us in, huh? Wren and I would be facing big charges while you got away unharmed, right?”

 

“That’s why I said it was brilliant.” Alex couldn’t refrain herself from laughing. 

 

Melissa looks at her in disbelief and scoffs. “Spencer is probably never going to forgive me because of you.” she accuses, her eyes were beginning to glisten. Was she about to cry? 

 

Alex hated this feeling. Guilt. She hated feeling this way when she did absolutely nothing. The same way she felt when her adoptive parents had blamed her for ruining their family, when she had done nothing. The same way she felt when found out that she had lost Charlotte, she felt guilty. She actually blamed herself for a while for allowing her older sister to return to Rosewood. She should’ve stopped her, she should’ve begged harder, she should’ve followed her. Maybe if she had, then maybe, just maybe, the only person who has truly ever loved her, would still be alive.

 

“Just as I was beginning to find closure, you somehow managed to bring all the pain back to me.” her older sister continues. “You should’ve just ended the game when we were supposed to, we’d both be fine if you just had.”

 

Suddenly the guilt was gone, and all that Alex felt was hatred; that same hatred, all of the resentment she had felt when she first realized that her mother and Melissa could never love her the way they loved her twin sister, it came back. 

 

“You mean everything would’ve been fine for you.” Alex says bitterly, her blood was boiling. “You would go back to your family as if nothing had happened, but what about me, Melissa? Who would I go back to? Charlotte was my everything, and she was gone! Tell me Melissa, who was I supposed to go back to?”

 

“She was my everything too, Alex!” Melissa tells her. She couldn’t contain her tears anymore. The thought of her former lover was still too much for her to bare. She still couldn’t handle it, she was foolish for thinking that she could ever completely move on. “You don’t know how much of a mess I was after hearing what happened to her! You don’t know how much of a mess I still am-”

 

“But she was all that I had.” Alex almost screams. She didn’t want to draw attention to them. The British woman takes a deep breath before quietly restating, “She was all I  _ ever  _ had.” 

 

The two sisters remain silent for awhile. Melissa was taken aback by the younger woman’s sudden outburst, meanwhile Alex couldn’t believe she almost lost it. 

 

“That’s not completely true. You had Wren.” Melissa points out quietly, as she’s suddenly hit with a pang of sadness as she remembers her deceased friend. “You would still have him, if you hadn’t decided to turn him into stone.”

 

Alex rolls her eyes, “Oh please.” she scoffs. “Wren was a loyal partner and a great kisser, I’ll admit that, but- but he never really loved me for  _ me.” _

 

“What?” the eldest Hastings gives her a puzzled look. She wasn’t sure if the British woman was kidding or not, her dear friend definitely was head over heels for the younger brunette. Alex could’ve literally stabbed him to death and he would let her. How did she not see that?

 

“Don’t play stupid with me.” Alex responds as she lets out a humorless chuckle. “You were the one who told me that he was most likely only into me because he wasn’t over our lovely sister.” 

 

“I mean yeah, that was probably the case at first..” Melissa begins to explain what she had meant, “But I’m pretty sure he grew to love you for  _ you,  _ not because he saw you as Spencer-”

 

“What does it matter now?” Alex cuts her off, as she begins to slowly walk towards Melissa. “He’s dead! Charlotte’s dead! I’m probably going to be stuck here for the rest of my life and I have no one! So don’t come here complaining to me about how your life is ruined, because trust me,  _ you _ have no idea what that feels like.”

 

“What are you doing?” Melissa questions, feeling a bit out of her comfort zone as Alex got closer to her.

 

Truth be told, Alex wasn’t sure what she was planning to do, all she knew was that she wanted to see Melissa ache as much as she has, maybe then she’d understand the actual concept of what it feels like for one’s life to actually be ruined. 

 

Alex eventually walks past her and stops right besides the corded telephone, that hung on the wall. “There are two things I could do with this telephone, you know?” she tells her as she picked up the phone, her brown orbs had now grown dark.

 

Meanwhile Melissa seemed unfazed by what the younger woman was doing, and instead responds by quirking an eyebrow.

 

“I could call the nurses, tell them that I’m ready to tell the whole truth about what my  _ accomplices  _ and I did-” Alex plays with the wire that belonged to the phone, before looking up to lock eyes with her older sister. “Or I could wrap this surprisingly lengthy wire around your neck, until you’re close to suffocating, Maybe then, you’ll finally know how it feels like to be me.”

 

Melissa feels herself stiffen at the first threat. “You wouldn’t dare.” 

 

Alex knew which threat Melissa was more afraid of, so she turned and began to rapidly dial the emergency number. The older woman feels herself panic as soon as she hears a nurse pick up Alex’s call.

 

“Yes, I think it’s about time I have another conversation with Detective Tanner. I think I’ve suddenly remembered a few things that she’ll be very interested to hear-”

 

Within an instant, Melissa stormed towards her and knocked the phone out of her hand. “Are you insane!”

 

Alex glares at her, “Don’t touch me!” she screams as she shoves Melissa away, attempting to pick the phone back up. 

 

Before she could though, Melissa grabs her wrist a bit too harshly, and pulls her away from the phone. “I said don’t touch me!” The British woman uses her free hand to claw her fingernails into Melissa’s hand. 

 

Yes, having the girl’s nails clawing at her was painful, but it was bearable. She had to get her to calm down before she did something stupid, like turning her in for instance. Alex continued to try to free herself from the older girl’s grip.

 

Within the next second, a nurse had busted in through the door, immediately followed by Spencer and Aria. 

 

“Melissa!” Spencer calls out.

 

“M’am, I need you to let go of the patient.”

 

It took them a few seconds before successfully removing Alex from Melissa’s strong grip. Melissa didn’t know what had happened, one moment she was completely calm, and then she lost it.

 

“Are you crazy?” Spencer exclaimed once she pulled her older sister out of the room. “Do you want to get into serious trouble for attacking a patient?!”

 

Melissa let out a heavy sigh, “I’m sorry. I-I don’t know what came over me.” she breathes out. Her palms were still sweaty, evidently still shaken up over what she had just done. 

 

“Melissa, what are you even doing here? Alex really isn’t supposed to be having that many visitors due to her state at the moment.”

 

“I had to see her.” the older woman admits.

 

“What for?” Spencer questions as she raised her eyebrows up in suspicion. “Last time I checked, you seemed to really despise her.”

 

“I had to make sure that she wasn’t going to-” Melissa stops talking once she sees a group of nurses walking past them. “You know. Say anything.”

 

“Were you here to interrogate her?”

 

“Something like that.”

 

“That really wasn’t a good idea, she doesn’t take these confrontations too well.” Spencer recalls the time that Aria had confronted Alex, her twin hadn’t taken things too good, she even started hurting herself.

 

“Yeah, you’re telling me. She threatened to suffocate me with the telephone cord.” Melissa says before pausing for a moment. She finally comes to sense with the situation that they were in and scowls. “Wait a minute, why are  _ you _ here?”

 

“I’m her guardian, remember?”

 

Melissa scoffs, “She literally tried to kill you, and here you are taking responsibility for her.”

 

“If I’m not going to do it, then who is?” Spencer shrugs. “Besides, it’s not like you have any right to judge her when you- 

 

“ _ I  _ never tried to actually kill you though, she did.” Melissa cuts her off before she could even finish talking. “She doesn’t love you Spencer, but I did. I do.”

 

“Did you really?” Spencer asks quietly, her vision was beginning to blur as her eyes started to water. “If you really loved me Melissa, you wouldn’t have played along. If you really loved me you would’ve done something to make her stop. If you really loved me, you wouldn’t have made my life a total hell.”

 

The eldest Hastings daughter felt shame as she heard her younger sister’s words. At the time, her thirst for revenge against Spencer and the girls was so strong, that she had gotten carried away with it. She had forgotten how much she truly loved her little sister, yes she annoyed the crap out of her a lot of times, but she was still her sister.

 

“You let her torture us. You even helped her torture us. You chose her over me.” Spencer says bitterly. “How am I supposed to believe you, when you say you love me?”

 

“Listen Spencer, I really am sorry for what I did to you. If I could go back, I would do things differently. Things would be much better if I had.” Melissa replies, her voice was dead serious. Sometimes she does wonder how things would be had she done everything differently. If she somehow had let go of all the resentment that she felt towards the girls back then, if she had somehow managed to help Charlotte get better, then maybe she wouldn’t have caused her younger sister so much pain. Then maybe, Charlotte would still be alive. If only she had done something, then maybe everything would be so much better.

 

“I’m sorry for hurting you, I’m sorry for never being there for you, and I’m sorry for not telling you about Alex.” Melissa continues, her heart breaking a bit as she said the next words out loud. “I’m sorry for letting Charlotte hurt you and your friends and I’m sorry for not doing anything to help her get better, but I’m not sorry for loving her.”

 

Spencer closes her eyes, as she allowed a tear to escape her eye. “The thing is, I know your apology is genuine, but I don’t think I can forgive you.” she whispers. “At least not now.”

 

Melissa feels her heart ache as she hears her sister say those words, but she has hope. The last four words gave her hope, that maybe one day, things will be okay between them again. “What about Alex?” she questions. “Are you going to forgive her?”

 

“I don’t know.”

 

“Do you want to forgive her?”

 

Spencer blinks before looking up to lock eyes with her older sister. “I-I think I do.” she confesses. 

 

Melissa looks at her in disbelief, “Spencer- I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

 

“Why are you so against her?” the younger Hastings girl asked curiously. “I mean, did she do something to you or-?”

 

“I didn’t mind her when we first met, but the more I saw her, the more she made her resentment towards you, obvious. And I didn’t like that.” Melissa tells her. “It was one thing to hate you, but she wanted you dead. Spencer, she could be a danger to you. I think it’s better for you to just leave her in the hands of the professionals.”

 

“That’s the thing Melissa, I don’t think I can.” It’s not like Spencer didn’t know that her twin sister wanted her dead. “I guess they’re right when they say twins have a special connection.” She had to admit, there was a part of her that had grown to care for Alex. There was a part of her, that wanted to help her.

 

The older brunette gives her a puzzled expression, “What are you saying?” she asks.

 

“Before I wasn’t too fond of the idea, but after talking to Aria, now I think I am.”

 

“Spencer?”

 

“Melissa, I think I want Alex to get better.” Spencer says, almost as if she were coming to realize that too. “I think I want her to be okay, and I think I want to form a relationship with her. I think.”

 

“Spencer- she hates you.” Melissa couldn’t hide her worry. If Alex were to harm Spencer in any way, then next time it will be her who threatens to suffocate the British woman.

 

“I don’t hate her, well at least I don’t.” Spencer replies as she looks at Alex’s room. “Before, I never understood how Alison was so forgiving towards Charlotte, I thought she was crazy. But now- now I think I do.”

**_____________**

 

“She seems to be alright now,” The nurse tells Aria, who was sitting on the bed, with Alex’s head resting on her lap. “Seems like her last visitor triggered a panic attack. Now we know who to not allow to visit her anymore.”

 

Aria nodded in response as she turned her attention the woman lying down. She couldn’t see her face, but knew she wasn’t asleep, she may had calmed down but she was still shaking slightly.

 

When she saw the nurses rushing towards Alex’s room, she was filled with sudden anxiety. She had began to imagine the worst. Next thing she knows is that her and Spencer are following the nurse through the door, and once they managed to separate Alex and Melissa, the British woman had wrapped her arms around her and sobbed into her shoulder. She was breathing heavily and trembling like crazy, that Aria couldn’t help but hold onto her tightly.

 

She looked so distraught and vulnerable, that Aria felt her heart ache at that sight. 

 

The nurse then excused herself from the room, but not before making sure that Alex was completely okay now.

 

Neither Aria or Alex said anything as soon as the young woman stepped out, instead Aria started to run her hands through Alex’s hair, in hopes to get her to stop shaking.

 

Alex wanted nothing more but to say something, but she didn’t know how to start. She was worried that Aria might think differently of her after she witnessed her in the middle of a breakdown.

 

So she didn’t speak, and just allowed herself to relax as Aria ran her hands through her hair. She had to admit that the sensation brought comfort to her. She had instantly calmed down.

 

“Are you okay?” Aria then whispers, finally breaking the heavy silence that had grown between them.

 

“I am now.” Alex replies as she then forces herself to sit up, to face Aria. She looked into her eyes and wasn’t sure if they were filled with fear or concern. “I’m sorry you had to see me like that.”

 

“Don’t apologize for something like that.” Aria tells her as she shakes her head. “It was just a bit startling.”

 

The older girl laughs, “You’re probably freaked out by what you just saw.” she stops laughing and looks at her again. “I’m sorry for scaring you.”

 

Aria shakes her head, “No Alex, I wasn’t scared of you.” she tells her as she places her hand over hers. “I was scared that something had happened you.”

 

Alex Drake feels herself getting choked up in her own words. She didn’t know what to make of what Aria had just said. Was this her just being compassionate or did the girl genuinely care about her?

 

“Why?” the long haired brunette couldn’t help but ask.

 

“Why what?”

 

“Why would you be scared if something happened to me?”

 

Aria seems taken aback by the question and for a moment Alex believes that she’ll just say ‘I don’t know’ again. But she doesn’t. Instead, Aria gives her a small smile and says. “Because I don’t want anything bad to happen to you. I want you to be okay.”

 

Alex tried to hold back a smile, because this really wasn’t the time to be smiling. She couldn’t resist the warm feeling that took over her though. In a way, what the short haired brunette sort of implied that she cared about her, and that was all Alex needed to feel happy. 

 

However, that happiness vanishes as soon as he recalls what the circumstances were. “The thing is,” she frowns. “I’m not okay. Didn’t you just see me Aria? I have no control over myself. How is that being okay?”

 

“Hey,” Aria calls out softly as she begins to gently run her thumb around her hand, as a form of comfort. “It’s okay to not be okay. We can get you the help you need, if you just let us.”

 

“We?”

 

“I talked to Spencer, and she’s okay with it. She agreed to help you get better.” the younger woman explains.

 

Alex couldn’t even bring herself to roll her eyes at the mention of her twin sister’s name like she normally does, not after she saw how Spencer had desperately tried to get Melissa to stop gripping onto her. No she wasn’t going soft for her twin, but she has to be honest, it felt pleasant to see someone sticking up for her.

 

“I don’t think getting better is an option for me.” Alex says quietly. “I have too much resentment and self-loathe in my heart.”

 

“No one said it was easy.”

 

Alex shrugs, “It’s just pointless.” she breathes out. “When I had Charlotte with me, I was the happiest person I could be, you know. She gave me hope, she gave me a family, she gave me love, she gave me happiness, she made me okay. When I lost her, all of that just became pointless to me.”

 

Aria had never attempted to understand what Charlotte meant to Alex, sure she had heard the British woman tell her how much loved the blonde woman, but it wasn’t until that moment that she completely realized what Charlotte was to Alex. She was all the brunette had. It’s not justifiable, but it’s no wonder why A.D. was so angry with the girls. Because A.D. had thought that they had taken her everything. 

 

“It isn’t pointless.” Aria responds, she was basically pleading for Alex to listen to her with her eyes. “You can get better. I can help you get better.”

 

The older girl does a double take, “You?” she asks in disbelief. “Why would you waste your time helping me?”

 

Aria gives her a warm smile and squeezes her hand a bit. “Because I want to.” she tells her. “I want you to get better, Alex. You need to believe in yourself”

 

The British woman had to confess, the shorter woman’s words were beginning to get to her. In a way, they were motivating her, but like she had told Melissa earlier, she has no one. What would be the point of getting better when at the the end of the day, no one will be waiting for her to come home. She doesn’t even have a home in the first place.

 

“It’s not pointless because I don’t believe in myself, it’s rather because I don’t have anyone, Aria.” Alex admits out loud, as she looks down. “What’s the point of getting better when I have no one to go to after.”

 

“You’ll have Spencer.” Aria whispers as she brings her hand up to Alex’s chin, making the woman look at her. “And you’ll have me.”

 

Alex feels herself completely melting under Aria’s touch. “Will I really?” she asks hopelessly. It’s kind of hard for her to trust that someone will always be there for her when in reality, they somehow manage to abandon her again.

 

“Let me tell you something.” Aria begins, still not removing her hand from Alex’s chin, in order to make sure that she’s looking her in the eye. Maybe like that, she’ll be able to see how dead serious the short haired woman was. “From now on, Spencer and I are committed to you. We will help you get better. And we will be that someone that you will go to when you do get better.”

 

Alex wasn’t sure if it was the seriousness of her tone or the intensity of her stare, but Alex believed her. She wasn’t sure if it was a good idea to do so, but at the moment she didn’t care. All that mattered to her was the hope and warmth that had suddenly invaded her heart. 

 

**_____________**

 

For the next couple of days, Spencer continued to drive Aria to visit Alex. It wasn’t that she didn’t want to see Alex as well and check up on her, but she knew that she had to wait until they were both ready to completely put everything behind them.

 

Spencer thinks that she is, but she isn’t so sure if Alex is just yet. 

 

Those couple of days soon turned into two whole weeks, when Aria had told her that Alex might be ready to finally talk things out with Spencer.

 

The youngest Hastings had to be frank, it was still weird, the whole idea of Aria and Alex being together. But she was definitely a lot more for it than she was for Ezra and Aria. 

 

As far as she knew, nothing too serious had really happened between her friend and her twin, but Spencer wasn’t an idiot. She would quickly notice the smile that her best friend tried and failed to hide. It seemed like she was really getting along with Alex. No matter how weird it was, Spencer had to admit, it did bring her joy to see Aria so happy, especially now since she and Ezra are in the middle of filing a divorce.

 

Finally though, a little more over three weeks had passed when Spencer finally decided to drop by to see her sister. According to Dr. Sullivan, Alex had made an impressive progress compared to the past few weeks. It made the young Hastings wonder, how would Alex react to seeing her? How would she react to react to seeing Alex? 

 

Will they end up arguing again? Or could things really get better between them? 

 

Does Alex still hate her? 

 

And most importantly: Has she forgiven Alex?

 

At first, the idea of seeing her sister again didn’t sound so bad, but as she grew closer to her sister’s room, she couldn’t help but allow her nerves to take over. She started to overthink things.

 

_ What if she’s not ready? What if I’m not ready? _

 

_ What if we end up fighting? What if I say something that could cause her to have another panic attack? _

 

_ What if I end up snapping? What if she snaps? _

 

_ What if she tries to hurt me? What if I try to hurt her? _

 

Her palms grew sweaty as she brought her fist up to knock on her door. She could just walk in, but it didn’t really seem appropriate. 

 

When she heard no answer, she knocked again. Maybe she was still sleeping? Should she come back again another time? Maybe-

 

“Come in Spencer.” she heard a British voice call out. Spencer looked around before opening the door, and slowly walking in. 

 

She found her twin sister sitting on her desk, her back facing to her. “How did you know it was me?” she asks, not really sure how else to start a conversation between them.

 

Alex placed her pencil down and spins her chair around, to face Spencer. It was weird, seeing her slightly older sister and not feeling the urge to stab her in the throat. As a matter of fact, she didn’t even feel any sort of hatred towards her anymore; seeing her right now for the first time in almost four weeks, is weird, but not in a bad way. Her sessions with Dr. Sullivan really must be working.

 

“As of the past four weeks, you’re the only person who has knocked on my door. No one else has done that.” Alex replies. She doesn’t know how she feels or what should she feel towards her twin.

 

Spencer is surprised to see that Alex has removed her bangs, and her hair is a lot more curlier than she remembered. “You’ve changed your hair.” she couldn’t help but point out.

 

Alex let out a small laugh, “Yeah.” she trails off. Why was this whole situation so uncomfortable for her? It’s not like she feels any resentment towards her twin sister anymore, so why can’t she bring herself to look her in the eyes. “That old hairstyle that I had with the bangs wasn’t me, Spencer, it was you. And I’m not Spencer, I’m Alex.”

 

Spencer couldn’t refrain herself from smiling after hearing what Alex said. This caused for that uncomfortable feeling to return for Alex. What was it called again?

 

Guilt. 

 

That’s what it was. That’s what Dr. Sullivan told her it was. 

 

_ “You’ll never be able to get better, if you don’t learn how to forgive yourself and others.”  _ The woman’s words echoed through her head.

 

“You don’t know how happy it makes me to hear you say that.” Spencer replies quietly, her small smile remaining in place.

 

Alex looks up at her sister’s smile again and wonders,  _ maybe she isn’t the one who needs to be forgiven, maybe it’s me the one who needs to be forgiven.  _

 

The more she thinks about it, the more it burns inside. Alex is usually not a big crier, but at the moment she can’t help but let a few tears escape her eyes.

 

Spencer instantly takes notice and a wave of panic takes over her. Did she say something wrong? Did she do something wrong? Why was she crying?

 

“I-I’m sorry.” she quickly apologizes as she takes a few steps forward, however she eventually stops. She didn’t want to get too close to her, what if that only made things worse. “Was it something I said?”

 

“Why are you apologizing? What makes you think you did anything?” Alex asks quietly.

 

“Well, why are you crying?” Spencer asks hopelessly. She didn’t know what to do. 

 

“I just- I remembered the first time I found out about you.” Alex admits. “I remember crying tears of joy, thinking ‘I have a twin!’ and looking at you right now- it just brought that feeling back. I have a twin. I have you.”

 

Spencer felt as her eyes began to water as well. “Yeah.” she chokes up. “You do.” 

 

“You know, before they kept telling me that it was Charlotte’s influence that made me like this. And of course, I got bloody pissed when they said that, I mean, Charlotte was probably one of the best things that I ever had. But, the more I thought about it, I think I’ve realized what they were trying to say.”

 

“What is it?”

 

“They weren’t saying that Charlotte didn’t make me  _ a ‘bad person’  _ like I had thought.” Alex explains, her eyes slowly shifting from the ground to her sister. “They were talking about the way she dealt with things. In order to find a way to get back to her family, she caused them harm by playing the game. I continued the game, even after finding out it wasn’t you or the girls who killed Charlotte, because in a way, I also wanted to get back to my family. We both wanted to get back to our families, we just didn’t do it in the right way.”

 

Spencer doesn’t say anything in response, for one she wasn’t sure if Alex was done talking, but also she wasn’t exactly sure how to respond to what she had just said.

 

“To you girls, Charlotte was probably a monster, I probably am a monster to you all as well. But to me, Charlotte was my happiness. So when that happiness was taken away from me, my jealousy and hatred led for me to blame you right away. It had never occurred to me that I was going after the wrong people, while I was working with real killer.”

 

“Mona?”

 

“Archer.” Alex corrects her. “Mona did kill Charlotte, but it was an accident. It wouldn’t have happened had that slag not put things in her head. If he would’ve just stay put like Charlotte has asked us to, if he would’ve just let her get treated, then she could’ve gotten better. And she would be alive right now.”

 

Spencer watches as her sister completely loses it. She was sobbing and Spencer feared that she might be having another panic attack, “Alex?”

 

When she didn’t hear the girl respond, she started to head towards the door, “I’m calling the nurse-”

 

“Spencer!” Alex’s voice halts her. The older twin turns back around and notices that Alex was now standing, slowly walking towards her, and stopping once she was around a meter and a half away. “Words will never be enough to describe how sorry I am for what I did to you and your friends. There will never be enough ways for me to show you how terrible I feel because of the pain that I caused you both physically and mentally.”

 

Spencer bit her lip, as she tried and failed to hold her tears back. This was all too much. Memories of every horrible thing that A and A.D. had done to her, flashed through her head, and she felt herself growing numb. She wanted to say that it was okay, but she couldn’t, because what they did to her and her friends wasn’t okay. 

 

“I saw the way Melissa went out of her way to protect you from me, and when I was holding you hostage, Mary had to beg me to keep you alive. I saw how much Veronica loved you, despite the fact that you weren’t her real daughter. And the way your friends loved you, it was all unbelievable to me. That’s why I tried to break you girls a part, that’s why I blackmailed Aria into turning against you girls. Because I was jealous and angry. The way I saw it, you were surrounded by people who loved you, meanwhile all I had back in London were foster parents who couldn’t give two craps about me. And I started to blame myself for it, I thought to myself, what if I was the problem? And I didn’t want to feel that way, so I shifted all of my hatred and resentment, towards you.”

 

Alex paused for a moment and looks at her older twin. “Spencer. I hated you for no absolute reason. And I caused you harm, for no reason. So me pleading for forgiveness, is probably outrageous to you. I don’t deserve your forgiveness and I wouldn’t blame you if you didn’t forgive me, but please know that I’m so sorry.”

 

Spencer brings her hand up to her mouth, to prevent herself from letting out an ugly cry. It didn’t help much though, the tears kept streaming down and that only made Alex feel worse.

 

“I know those three words are completely useless and don’t make up for the pain that I’ve caused you, but I just don’t know what to do.”

 

Both girls say nothing for a while and just sob. Maybe after letting everything out, they’ll be able to think more clearly. 

 

Spencer is at a complete loss. She thought that she could do this, but everything was a lot more easier said than done. She doesn’t know if she has it in her, she doesn’t know if she can forgive her. A part of her wants to, but there’s also another part of her that just can’t.

 

“Spencer, do you think I deserve a second chance?” Alex finally asks, once she is able to speak without getting choked up in her tears.

 

Spencer shudders at the sound of those words. She was never really a big fan of second chances, she only gave them out to people who she thought truly deserved them. And right now, she can’t say for sure if Alex is one of those people.

 

“I don’t know.” Spencer replies honestly. Alex closed her eyes as she felt her heart drop after hearing her sister’s words. It should have been expected. What she did to her and her friends was unforgivable. 

 

“But maybe,” Spencer speaks up again, catching Alex by surprise.  “Maybe you can help me decide if whether or not you deserve a second chance.”

 

Upon hearing that, Alex’s smile grew instantly, and she did something that neither girls ever imagined she would do. 

 

She pulled Spencer into their first hug, and just sobbed tears of joy and regret, into her shoulders.

 

**_____________**

 

When Alex told Aria that her and Spencer were going to try and work things out, the short woman had been so happy that she kissed her for the first time in four weeks. But of course, just like last time, they never talked about it.

 

Although they both really wanted to, neither of them had the guts to bring it up again. So they never acknowledged it, and continued to act as if nothing had happened.

 

But, within the passing months, Alex did start noticing some dynamic changes between them. No, they may have not kissed directly on the lips again for a while, but that didn’t stop Aria from placing small kisses on her cheek from time to time.

 

Not that Alex was complaining, but Aria never really had a specific reason for placing kisses on her cheek. She would say that she did it because “she felt like it.” Of course, that was a good enough reason for Alex as well.

 

Her relationship with Spencer did start to make progress as well. She found herself growing to love her twin, she’s not as annoying as Melissa had claimed sometimes. She’s actually really smart and she  _ really _ loves coffee. Literally every time she would walk in, she would say how much she was craving it, even though it was evident that she had just consumed a cup.

 

Spencer also found herself enjoying Alex’s company, turns out she loves music and literature. Aria really does seem to have a type. At first it was hard for both girls to open up to each other, but as the months passed, they found it a lot more easier to do so.

 

As for Melissa, she still hasn’t heard from her yet. She’s still in London according to Spencer. Alex couldn’t help but wonder how she was doing, was she doing okay? Has she found her closure yet?

 

Maybe one day, if the older brunette gave her the chance, she could be her closure, the same way that Aria and Spencer were hers. 

 

Around six months later, Alex and Aria found themselves sitting at her desk, where she was working on some calculus problems. She had decided to start studying to pass time, and maybe by the time she got out, she would be able to graduate with a degree.

 

Aria however, had quickly grown bored of the math problems on Alex’s paper and was rather focused on staring at the woman sitting right beside her. She was so beautiful. 

 

“You make it really difficult for me to concentrate.” Alex suddenly mentions without removing her eyes from the paper.

 

Aria couldn’t help the smile that crept up on her face, “I’m not doing anything.” she replies innocently.

 

“You’re supposed to be helping me.” Alex laughs.

 

“Yeah with history, but then you started doing calculus and I got bored.” 

 

Alex stops writing and slightly turns to look at her, “Well if you want, we can just call it a day and you just come back tomorrow? You should go out and have some fun with the girls if you want-”

 

Aria cuts her off by pressing her lips against hers, for the first time in six months. Alex was surprised by her sudden move, but wasted no time in kissing her back. 

 

Aria then pulls away for a moment and smiles at her, “I think I have a better idea.” she tells her before scooting closer towards Alex, and once again capturing her in another kiss, only this time, it was a lot more intense than the first.

 

Alex felt like her heart was basically pounding against her chest, as she pulls Aria closer to her, not wanting to be a single inch apart.

 

There’s only so many things that could be done in a patient’s room, while almost everyone was out for lunch, so Alex wasted no time in sliding her tongue across Aria’s lower lip, to which she instantly responded to by slightly opening her mouth. 

 

Within seconds, they were caught in a heavy makeout session. But soon enough, that wasn’t enough for them. They craved more of each other. Not to mention that Aria’s soft moans were driving her crazy.

 

Alex then put a halt to their makeout session and started kissing her neck. Aria bites her lip and tilts her head, as she allowed for the woman to have more access. Her head felt like it was spinning, and she found herself straddling her, in attempt to keep herself pressed against her.

 

Aria grabs Alex’s face, forcing her to look at her, only to then bring her lips back to hers again. Everything felt right, the pleasant sensations that they felt when they were together were overwhelming. They couldn’t get enough.

 

All it took was for Aria to slightly thrust her hips against her, for Alex to realize that they had to stop before they took things too far.

 

She slowly pulled away and when Aria opened her eyes, she found Alex already looking at her. She couldn’t help but place one more kiss on her lips, before she found her way back to her own seat.

 

“Are we ever going to talk about this or are we just going to pretend like it didn’t happen again?” Alex then asks, as she let out a small laugh. “I just don’t understand, are we friends? What are we?”

 

Aria grabs the British woman’s hand and kisses the back of her hand, not once breaking eye contact with her. She clearly couldn’t get enough of her. “I don’t know about you, but I was hoping we could be each other’s forevers.” she says.

 

“Forever?” Alex could feel her mouth slightly hanging open in surprise. “That’s a really long time, are you sure you want to be with me for that long?”

 

“Forever and always.”

 

Alex looks at her in disbelief, “But we don’t even know for how long I’ll be stuck in here? Don’t you think you deserve better?”

 

Aria shrugs as she gently brushed the taller woman’s hair to the side with her fingers, “I don’t know what I deserve, but what I do know is that I want you. And that I’m willing to wait however long it may take, because it’s you who I want to be with.”

 

Alex couldn’t stop the smile that was sneaking up on her face, “You’re sure about that?”

 

Aria answered by pressing her lips on Alex’s again, giving her a sweet and tender kiss. “One hundred percent.”

 

**_____________**

 

“I can’t believe we let them convince us to do this.” Hanna says as she, Emily, and Alison walked towards Alex’s room at Welby State Psychiatric Hospital. 

 

It has been a year since the infamous A.D. was revealed to be Alex Drake, Mary Drake’s third child and their friend, Spencer’s twin. And now, for the first time in a year, they were coming face to face with her yet again.

 

“Spencer said that she’s gotten better, but that by request, she wanted to see us in person.” Emily reminds her, before turning her attention to Alison who was staring at Alex’s room with sadness in her eyes. “Hey, what’s wrong?”

 

“This was Charlotte’s room-” Ali responds, her tone was full of melancholy. 

 

“That’s uncomfortable.” Hanna says, resulting in Emily throwing a glare at her. 

 

“Are you okay?” Emily then asks her wife.

 

Alison nods, “Yeah.” she tells her. “It’s just, it still hurts. But I’m okay.”

 

“Guys, we should just run in and out. I don’t really want to leave my baby alone with Caleb for too long, he doesn’t know how to change her diaper correctly.”

 

“I thought you left Amber with Mona?” Emily questions.

 

“Caleb still doesn’t trust her, and I really didn’t want to argue with him.”

 

“Well you should’ve told him that at least Mona knows how to properly change a diaper.” Alison jokes. 

 

“I’ll definitely use that one next time.”

 

“Guys, we should probably just go in now.” Emily suggests.

 

“Are you ready?” Alison asks.

 

“No.” “Yes.” Hanna and Emily say at the same time. The married couple turn to look at Hanna with a concerned expression. 

 

“Hanna, if you’re not ready then you can wait outside while we go in-”

 

“Ugh, no! Let’s just get it over with, because I feel like Spencer or Aria will probably make me come back a second time if I don’t do it now.”

 

**_____________**

 

Alex couldn’t deny it, it did feel strange to quietly sit across the three girls. The last time they were together, she had almost killed Spencer, their best friend. They’re probably having not so friendly thoughts about her at the moment.

 

“Well, this definitely is uncomfortable.” Alex confesses out loud.

 

“You’re one to talk.” Hanna’s boldness could be annoying at times, but it was something that Alex had to admit that she admired.

 

“Aria and Spencer have said that you’ve changed.” Alison then speaks up, her eyes were carefully studying the British woman. “But due to past experiences, I’m not sure if I believe that.”

 

“You’re talking about Charlotte.” Alex says knowingly. Of course. “She talked about you a lot. She was completely in love with you, you were her precious little sister.”

 

“She never really loved me.”

 

“That’s not true.” Alex shakes her head. “Charlotte adored you so much, that I was actually jealous at one point. I actually felt like she was leaving me for you.”

 

Alison scoffs, “She didn’t love me in that way. I was just another piece of the game to her.”

 

“Charlotte loved you Alison, I know it’s hard to believe it, hearing it from me, but trust me when I say that she did. The game just- I realized that it never really was Charlotte who was controlling the game. It was the game that was controlling her. And no one was able to save her.”

 

“I really thought she had changed.” Alison says, as she tried to refrain her tears from escaping. “We were a family- I thought we were a family.”

 

“Trust me, Alison, I knew Charlotte well. She loved you, a lot actually, but everything then went downhill when she lost herself.” 

 

The blonde woman looked down and didn’t say anything in return. “Can you blame us for not trusting you?” Emily points out. 

 

“No. I don’t blame you.” Alex responds before turning to face Alison. “What I did to you was horrible. I violated you both in such an ugly way, all for something that you didn’t even do. Oh my god, I’m so sorry.” Alex buries her face in her hands. “It didn’t really hit me until now, how terrible it was.”

 

Emily looks over at Alison and grabs her hand. “We love our daughters more than anything in this world.” she says, as she allows for a tear to escape her eye. “But what you did to us was so awful and so vile. You really don’t expect us to forgive you, do you?”

 

Alex instantly shakes her head, “I don’t. And like I said, I wouldn’t blame you if you didn’t but-”

 

“But what?” Hanna snaps. “You’re going to say you’re sorry and that will suddenly make everything better? That will suddenly erase all the pain that  _ you  _ caused us!”

 

“Han-” Emily tries to calm her down. 

 

“No, Emily I’m not going to calm down!” she tells her friend before turning to face Alex again. “You made our lives a nightmare! You tortured me with a cattle prod! You tortured me to the point that I almost went insane! So don’t you even dare and think about asking for forgiveness, because you don’t deserve shit from me.” 

 

With that being said, Hanna storms out of the room. She couldn’t stand being in the same room as A.D. 

 

“I’ll go make sure she’s okay.” Emily quickly excuses herself, leaving Alison and Alex alone.

 

Cousins. That’s what they were. But truth be told, Alison didn’t consider her a cousin. Spencer was her only cousin as far she was concerned.

 

“Alison-”

 

“Hanna’s right, you know that?” the blonde woman cuts her off. “It’s so easy to say that you’re sorry. It’s not so easy to erase the pain that you’ve caused others, though.”

 

“I know how I treated you girls. I know that what I did was unforgivable. I know that I don’t deserve your forgiveness. But when I’m with my sister or with Aria, they make me feel like I’m worth a second chance.”

 

“Are you really?”

 

Alex nods. “I believe that I am.”

 

“Then you have to prove yourself.  _ Genuinely _ prove yourself.” Alex could tell that Charlotte’s betrayal really hurt Alison deeply, and it bothers her how she can’t stand up for her sister, because she has no way to prove her feelings.

 

“I really meant what I said.” Alex starts up the conversation again. “Aside from Melissa’s photo, she would look at a photo of you the most. She always talked about her beautiful little sister who looked just like her, and I’m pretty sure she wasn’t talking about Spencer.”

 

“I don’t know what she felt for me.” Alison sighs, “But during those five years that I spent with her, I grew to love her as my sister. And the thought of those feelings being one-sided, really hurts a lot.”

 

“I’m sorry.”

 

The blonde woman lets out a humorless laugh, “Like I said, things are a lot easier said than done. If you really want us to forgive you, you have to prove yourself. Prove that you really are sorry, and then you can come asking us for forgiveness. And  _ believe me,  _ it’s really hard to get people to trust you when you’ve taken advantage of them. I should know. I was once that person who caused harm to the people that I cared about the most. It’s tough to gain forgiveness, you have to really work for it.”

 

“Seems like we’re actually quite similar.” Alex points out with a laugh.

 

“Don’t get too carried away.”

 

Alex snorts before continuing. “Well, I may not know how long I’ll be stuck in here for, but I’ll make sure to figure out a way to prove to everyone that I genuinely am sorry.”

 

Alison gives her a small smile. “I hope you do.”

 

**_____________**

 

No, it wasn’t easy. Like Alison had said, it’s tough. There were tears and there were moments when she almost wanted to give up hope. Almost.

 

But she didn’t. Not when she found herself staring at hope, every time she would look into Aria’s eyes. And not when she felt herself to be worthy of a second chance, thanks to Spencer.

 

It’s strange to say, that once the person that she hated the most had become the person she loved the most. Allowing Spencer in her life, filled a hole in her life. She had yet to work things out with her parents, Peter Hastings and Mary Drake, maybe that’s something that will have to wait for later.

 

As for her older sister, Melissa Hastings, things were really uncomfortable between them at first. Eventually though, the older woman broke her cold aura towards her, and they had bonded over the stinging pain caused by Charlotte’s death, that had still remained with them even after so long. 

 

Charlotte, the thought of her older sister still brought ache to Alex’s heart, but it was better. It was better because she knew that at least her sister was at peace now, something that she hardly ever experienced due to how unfair life was to her.

 

It wasn’t easy sometimes. There were some days where she thought she couldn’t do it, there were times when she felt completely hopeless. Of course, those thoughts would all vanish whenever she thoughts of Aria would flash across her head.

 

She was her rock. She was her hope. She was her will. She was her number one motivator.

 

Through it all Aria remained by her side, never once complaining about her situation, sure they had a few minor arguments here and there, but nothing that didn’t quickly resolve itself.

 

Yes, things were hard, but slowly everything started to fall into place. 

 

**_____________**

 

“You’re shaking.” Spencer points out, as she was helping her adjust her black, sheath dress. This piece of fabric really was such a pain to deal with, if it wasn’t positioned properly, it would look very unpleasing to the eye.

 

“It’s just odd.” Alex breathes out, as she continued to slightly tremble. “I mean what if she’s having second thoughts about this.”

 

Spencer couldn’t help but quietly laugh at her twin’s unnecessary nerves, “Please.” She says as she started to brush Alex’s hair. “Aria’s head over heels for you, besides she’s the one who proposed you, remember how that sweet that was?”

 

Alex saw a small blush growing on her face through the mirror as she recalled the occasion. It had been a week after she was released from Welby when it happened. It was open mic night at the Brew, where she had read her such a beautiful that she had written for her. After that she had asked her to marry her.

 

It was a simple gesture, but the meaning and the emotions behind it made it worth so much more for Alex.

 

“I just- it just all seems too good to be true.” Alex admits with a sigh. “Like, who would’ve ever thought that the ‘villain’ in this story might get a happy ending after all?”

 

Spencer shrugs in response. “Sometimes the villains win.” 

 

Both girls laughed at that comment. 

 

“I suppose they do.” The British woman smiles. “I just hope this villain doesn’t mess things up.”

 

“Hey.” The older twin places a hand on the younger twin’s shoulder, and gives it a comforting squeeze. “You love Aria don’t you?”

 

“More than anything.” Alex didn’t even have to think twice before answering. She was in love with Aria Montgomery, there was no doubt about that.

 

“And Aria loves you like crazy.” Spencer continues. “Believe me when I say that everything will be alright.”

 

“It will, won’t it?”

 

Spencer nods in response. “And even if things don’t last, just know that you’ll never be alone.” she removes her hand from her shoulder and places it over her hand, which was resting on the dresser. “Because you’ll always have me.”

 

Alex captures her sister in a tight embrace, “Thank you,” she whispers. Spencer always knew what to say to help her feel better, and she was grateful for that. 

 

Their embrace was suddenly cut short by a knock on the door. “Come in.”

 

“Someone has a special gift for the bride.” Melissa’s sweet voice filled the room, as she was followed by a dark haired three year old boy and a dirty blondish, six year old girl, who were carrying a red rose in their hands.

 

Alex’s smile grew wider at the sight of her niece, Melissa’s adoptive daughter Charity, and nephew, Spencer and Toby’s son Julian. “Aw, thank you so much.” she gushed as she knelt down to give both kids a hug.

 

“Are you ready?” Their older sister asks, unable to contain her excitement towards her youngest sister.

 

Alex looks over at her twin and smiles. “I am.” she replies.

 

“Good.” Melissa continues, as a grin started to form on her face. “Because it’s time.”

 

**_____________**

 

“Man, these heels are killing me.” Hanna mutters as she helped Aria get into the dress that she had designed for her.

 

“You’re the one who made them.” Emily reminds her, as she and Alison were helping their almost seven year old daughters, Grace and Lily put their matching shoes on.

 

“They don’t seem so bad.” Aria says.

 

“Yeah, that’s because you’re not wearing them.”

 

Aria playfully rolls her eyes, as she turns to look at her reflection in the mirror. “Guys, I can’t believe it’s happening.”

 

“Neither can we.” Hanna adds, causing both Alison and Emily to give her a look. 

 

“I don’t mean it in a bad way.” Hanna quickly defends herself, causing Aria to laugh lightly. “What I’m trying to say is that it’s been five years, and you’ve been completely devoted to her. You deserve this.”

 

Hanna gives her a small back hug. “Thanks Han.”

 

“So, you think you’re ready for marriage?” Alison then asks her, giving her a playful expression. “It’s not the same as dating, let me tell you that.”

 

“And is that a bad thing?” Emily questions as she quirks an eyebrow.

 

“Nope. Not at all.” Alison replies with smirk, before leaning in to give her wife a tender and sweet kiss. 

 

“Okay guys, it was cute the first time. Years later, not so much.” Hanna jokes.

 

“Hey, at least we aren’t the ones with our tongues down each others throats in public.” Alison fires back. 

 

“Touché”

 

“Yeah, I am.” Aria says after her and the girls had stopped laughing at the small banter between them. “After everything we’ve been through, we’re all slowly getting our happy endings. Now, I believe it’s my turn. And I’m so grateful for having you girls by my side, even after all these years and after everything that’s happened. Thank you.”

 

“Don’t you dare start crying.” Emily says as her eyes had begun to water, causing the four girls to laugh.

 

Then, a knock on the door shifts their attention from their emotional friend, to Spencer who had just entered the door wearing a big smile. “Hey.” she said. “Look at you.”

 

“I know!” Aria beams.

 

“It is a beautiful dress, isn’t it?” Hanna gloats.

 

“You look amazing.” Spencer tells Aria, pulling her friend into a tight embrace.

 

“Thank you!”

 

“Is Emily crying?” Spencer asks, turning her attention towards the bronze woman. 

 

“No!” Emily quickly replies as she wiped a tear.

 

“Look at us!” Alison says, her eyes glowing in glee. “We’ve come so far. It seems like just yesterday, we were fourteen years old, all huddled onto Spencer’s bed, sharing secrets. And now, the last one of us is getting married.”

 

The five girls came together to share one big group hug. “How lucky are we to have each other.” 

 

**_____________**

 

The moonlight illuminated the main yard at the Lost Woods Resort, where the newlywed couple danced among their close friends and family.

 

The two women hardly removed their eyes from each other, as they danced the night away. Everything was perfect.

 

“Why are you looking at me like that?” Aria wonders out loud.

 

“You look so good under the moonlight.” Alex admits, as a smirk appears on her face.

 

“Only under the moonlight?” Aria asks as she raises her eyebrows in a playful manner. 

 

“All the time.” 

 

Aria giggles as she brushes her lips across the British woman’s cheek. “Thanks. You look so good in that dress by the way.” she replies with a playful grin. “But I’d bet you’ll look better without it.” 

 

Aria leans in and instantly captures Alex in a passionate kiss, not caring if whether or not people had started to stare and cheer.

 

Alex quickly pulls away, “There’s people watching us.” she laughed, as the color pink tinted her cheeks.

 

“It’s our wedding night. Who cares?” Aria says, before pulling her in for another kiss. She really couldn’t get enough of her and neither could Alex, any form contact with the short woman, had her going crazy.”

 

“I love you.” Alex whispers, as soon as they ended their kiss.

 

Aria leans in a pecks her nose. “And I love you.”

 

As Alex looked around, the sight of her friends and family, brought warmth to her heart. The once miserable girl, that had no one to rely on, had finally found her home. She feels it every time she looks into Aria’s hazel eyes.

 

She’s not sure where life will take her next, but one thing’s for certain: Alex Drake will forever be thankful that she gave herself a second chance.

* * *

 

**Wow. That was the longest chapter I've ever written for this story. Thank you so much for the nice comments and please excuse any of the grammatical errors.**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed the story. I miss my girls so much, it's been almost two months since the show has ended.


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